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The  Missing  Link 


MODERN  SPIRITUALISM. 


Br 

A.   LEAH   UNDERHILL, 

OP  THE  FOX  FAMILY. 


REVISED  AND  ARRANGED  BY  A  LITERARY  FRIEND. 


■ 


NEW   YORK: 

THOMAS   R   KNOX  &   CO., 

(Successors  to  James  Millek.) 
813  Broadway. 

1885. 


EDUC. 


.  Copyright,  18S5,  by 
A.    LEAH    UNDEEHILL. 


TROWS 

PRINTING  AND  BOOKBINDING  COMPANY, 

NEW  YORK. 


Dedication. 

TO    MY    HUSBAND, 

DANIEL    UNDEEHILL, 

WHO, 

BEFORE  I  HAD  OTHER  CLAIMS  THAN  THOSE  OF  TRUTH  AND  RIGHT, 

NOBLY  SUSTAINED  ME  WHEN  OLDER  FRIENDS  WAVERED, 

THIS  NARRATIVE   IS  DEDICATED, 

NOT  LESS  GRATEFULLY  THAN  LOVINGLY. 


EDITOR'S   PREFACE. 


The  author  of  this  volume,  having  written  it  from 
time  to  time,  from  her  recollections  and  documentary 
materials,  which  include  bushels  of  letters — but  unwilling 
to  commit  it  to  the  press  in  the  disjointed  condition  which 
was  a  natural  consequence  of  her  own  want  of  much  prac- 
tice of  the  pen — did  me  the  honor  of  requesting  my  aid 
in  revising  and  arranging  it  for  publication.  Her  honesty 
and  sincerity  of  character  have  caused  her  to  insist  upon  a 
preface  to  that  effect.  Though  deeming  this  a  superfluous 
scruple  on  her  part,  I  am  induced  to  comply  with  her  wish 
for  a  different  reason;  and  that  is,  the  opportunity  it  af- 
fords of  bearing  my  testimony  to  the  remarkable  accuracy 
of-  her  memory  and  of  her  truthfulness,  as  those  qualities 
have  proved  themselves  throughout  the  intimate  inter- 
course of  many  weeks,  during  which  she  has  often  had  to 
repeat  the  same  recollections  of  facts  and  incidents,  under 
what  was  almost  legal  cross-examination,  without  ever  the 
slightest  variation  in  their  details,  and  without  ever  allow- 
ing anything  to  pass  which  might  be  in  the  least  degree 


VI  editoe's  pkeface. 

tainted  with  inaccuracy  or  mistake.  As  she  is  so  well 
known  to  so  many  friends,  it  is  superfluous  for -me  to  ex- 
press on  this  page,  which  will  meet  her  eye  for  the  first 
time  in  print,  the  high  and  affectionate  esteem  and  respect 
with  which  that  intimate  intercourse,  with  all  its  oppor- 
tunities for  observation  and  judgment,  have  inspired  the 

Editor. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Introduction 1 

CHAPTER  I. 
Hydesville 5 

"Mysterious  Noises"  heard  in  the  House  of  John  D.  Fox,  in 
Hydesville  (Town  of  Arcadia),  near  Newark,  Wayne  County, 
N.  Y. — Statements  of  Witnesses. 

CHAPTER  II. 
Hydesville  {Continued) 20 

The  Last  Digging  in  the  Cellar — Mob  Antagonism — Noble 
Friends — Experiences  and  Theories — Antecedents  of  the 
House — Franklin. 

CHAPTER  III. 
Rochester 30 

My  First  Knowledge  of  the  Matter — Hasten  to  Hydesville — 
Rapping  on  a  Canal  Boat — Experiences — Mother  Comes  to 
Rochester — Calvin  Brown — Devious  Route  of  Projectiles 
Upstairs  from  Cellar  to  Garret — A  Death-knell  Sounded 
all  Night  on  the  Keys  of  a  Locked  Piano. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Rochester  (Continued) 47 

Ventriloquism — "  Proclaim  these  Truths  to  the  World  " — The 
Call  for  the  Alphabet — Voices  in  Raps — God's  Telegraph 
between  the  two  Worlds — An  Eviction — Committee  of 
Five — No  Money  Accepted — Improper  Questions  to  Spirits 
— "Done" — Struggle  against  the  "Uncanny  Thing" — 
Benjamin  Franklin. 


X 


viil  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  V. 

PACE 

Rochester  {Continued),  November,  1848 57 

Light  Articles  made  Immovable — The  Coffins — Adieu  of  the 
Spirits — Their  Return — First  Stej  s  toward  Public  Investi- 
gation— "  Hire  Corinthian  Hall  " — First  Committee  of  In- 
vestigation— Second — Third  or  "Infidel"  Committee — 
Behavior  of  a  Great  Dining-table — The  Tar  and  Torpedo 
Mob. 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Meoiumistic  Vein  in  Our  Family     74 

Some  Family  Antecedents — Our  Great-grandmother — Phantom 
Prophetic  Funerals —Vision  of  a  Tombstone  Nine  Years 
in  Advance,  etc. 

CHAPTER  VII. 
Mediumistic  Vein  in  Our  Family  {Continued) 89 

Marvellous  Writing  by  a  Eaby  Medium. 

CHAPTER  VIIL 
Rochester  {Continued) 100 

"  Repeat  the  Lord's  Prayer" — First  Money  Accepted — Muscu- 
lar Quakerism — Letter  from  George  Willets — Letter  from 
John  E.  Robinson — Caution  against  Consultation  of  Spirits 
about  Worldly  Interests. 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Albany  and  Troy.    1850 115 

Excursion  to  Albany — Delavan  House  and  Van  Vechten  Hall — 
Rev.  Dr.  Staats  and  the  Judges — High  Class  of  Minds  In- 
terested— President  Eliphalet  Nott — Pecuniary  Arrange- 
ments— Excursion  to  Troy — Trojan  Ladies — Mob  Attempts 
on  Life  of  Margaretta. 

CHAPTER  X. 

N'ew  Yokk.      1850 128 

"  The  Rochester  Knockings  at  Barnum's  Hotel " — Hard  Work — 
Our  Visitors — A  Poisoned  Bouquet — Hair  of  the  Emperor 
Napoleon  I. — Hair  of  John  C.  Calhoun — Investigation  at 
Residence  of  Rev.  Rufus  W.  Griswold,  by  the  Leading 
Literary  Celebrities  of  New  York. 


CONTENTS.  IX 


CHAPTER  XI. 

PAGE 

Return  to  Rochester 142 

Letters  and  Newspaper  Articles  Respecting  our  New  York 
Campaign — Letter  from  Amy  Post — Letters  from  John  E. 
Robinson — Article  from  a  Sunday  Newspaper — From  the 
New  York  Day-Book — Letter  from  Dr.  C.  D.  Griswold — 
Letter  from  Jacob  C.  Cuyler — Article  by  Horace  Greeley — 
Poem  from  the  Sunday  Dispatch. 

CHAPTER  XII. 
Buffalo.      1850-51 165 

Urged  to  Return  to  New  York — Visit  to  Buffalo — Attempt  by  a 
Pretended  Friend  to  Frighten  ua  Away — Thunderbolt  from 
the  Buffalo  Commercial  Advertiser — The  "Females" — 
Knee-joint  Theory — Our  Reply  Challenging  Investigation 
of  it — The  Doctors'  Day — -Mrs.  Patchen's  Peculiarity. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
Buffalo  (Continued) 179 

Investigations  upon  Investigations — A  Meeting  at  the  Phelps 
House — Manifestations  with  Bells,  etc. — Mr.  Albro's  Re- 
port— A  Death  Scene — Letter  from  Me  to  the  Commercial 
Advertiser,  and  how  I  forced  its  Insertion — Article  from 
the  Buffalo  Daily  Republic — Letter  from  Mr.  Greeley — 
Mr.  E.  W.  Capron — Departure  from  Buffalo. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Buffalo  (Contin  ued)  197 

Letters  from  John  E.  Robinson  and  Welcome  Whittaker. 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Extracts  from  D.  M.  Dewey's  History 206 

Letters  from  Rev.  Charles  Hammond  and  John  E.  Robinson. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
The  Ohio  Campaign 219 

Return  to  Rochester — Attempted  Burglary — Summons  to  Ohio 
—  "Rev."  C.  C.  Burr— "Toe-ology"— Gold  Medals  and 
Jewelled  Watch — First  Public  Speech— Committee  In- 
vestigations as  usual — Calvin's  Illness,  and  henceforth  Mrs. 
Brown — First  Spiritual  Convention. 


X  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

PAGE 

Miscellaneous  Letters  Connected  with  the  Ohio  Campaign.  231 
N.  S.  Wheeler -E.  S.  Brownfield — Chillicothe  Committee— 
Charles  F.  Whippo— M.  L.  Wright— D.  A.  Eddy— Extracts 
from  the  Press — "A  Fair  Challenge  from  Mrs.  Fish  "  and 
Sequel — Columbus  Committee— D.  A.  Eddy— M.  L.  Wright 
— Interesting  Letter  from  Dear  Amy  Post — Article  from 
the  Cleveland  Plaindealer. 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
New  York  City,  from  January,  1852 250 

Competing  Claims  upon  Us — Decision  in  Favor  of  New  York  as 
Residence — Death  of  Calvin  R.  Brown — Remains  Removed 
to  Rochester  for  Burial — Personal  Friendships— Alice  and 
Phcebe  Cary — Course  of  Test  Experiments  at  Dr.  Gray's — 
The  Monday  Evening  Circle — Rules  of  Seances. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
New  York  City  {Continued) 2G9 

Our  Brilliant  Success  with  the  Superior  Intellectual  Classes — 
Whiskey  at  Washington — Cognizance  of  Domestic  Secrets  — 
Discomfiture  of  Anderson,  "the  Wizard  of  the  North" — 
Remarkable  Experience  with  a  very  Notorious  Person. 

CHAPTER  XX. 
Phosphorus 282 

Spirit  Lights  Visible  at  Dark  Seances— Private  Circle  in  Jersey 
City  in  1857 — Solid  Granules  of  Phosphorus  Appearing  in 
Earth  which  I  had  Touched — Surprising  and  Distressing 
Letter — The  Good  Spirits  and  Daniel  Underbill  to  the  Res- 
cue— Benjamin  Franklin — Marriage  to  D.  Underbill,  No- 
vember 2,  1858,  and  Close  of  my  Public  Mediumship — 
Analogous  Phenomena  in  Private  at  Home. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
Boston  and  the  Harvard  Professors,  1857 297 

Agreement  for  an  Investigation  by  a  Committee  of  Harvard 
Professors — Expulsion  of  a  Student  from  the  Divinity 
School  for  the  Crime  of  Mediumship — Professor  Felton — 
Agassiz—  Varley,  the  Electrician  of  the  Atlantic  Telegraph 
Company. 


CONTENTS.  XI 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

BAOK 

Boston  and  the  Harvard  Professors  {Continued) 312 

Disinterested  Judgments  upon  the  Sham  Investigation — Our 
Part  in  the  Proceedings — More  Fair  Investigation  by  the 
Collective  Representatives  of  the  New  England  Press — 
Investigation  by  a  Body  of  Unitarian  Clergymen — Our 
Triumphant  Return  Home — Theodore  Parker. 

CHAPTER  XXHI. 
Robert  Dale  Owen  and  Professor  Felton,  President  of 
Harvard  College 326 

Masterly  Letter  from  Mr.  Owen. 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 
Experiences  of  Robert  Dale  Owen  through  the  Medium- 
ship  of  the  Author 339 

Moving  a  Ledge  of  Rock  on  the  Sea-shore — Raps  on  the  Water, 
and  in  the  Living  Wood  -  Seeing  the  Raps — Moving  Pon- 
derable Bodies  by  Occult  Agency — Crucial  Test— A  Heavy 
Dinner-table  Suspended  in  the  Air  by  Occult  Agency. 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

Experiences  of    the    Author    with    Robert    Dale  Owen 
{Continued) 34S 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Spirit  Cures— Mr.  Catron's  Wife 3G1 

Statement  by  E.  W.  Capron — Wife  of  General  Waddy  Thomp- 
son, of  South  Caroliua — Wife  of  Mr.  Davis,  of  Providence, 
R.  I. 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Miscellaneous  Letters 368 

J.  Heddon — S.  Chamberlain — John  E.  Robinson — A.  Underbill 
— George  Lee,  M.D. 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Miscellaneous  Letters  [Continued) 386 

E.  F.  Norton — John  E.  Robinson — Governor  X.  P.  Tallmadge 
— Pauline  M.  Davis — Same — John  E.  Robinson — Prof.  J. 
J.  Watson. 


Xll  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

PAGE 

S<  (ME  Observations  ox  Mediumsiiip 403 

Mysteries  of  Medinmship — To  Trove  the  Immortality  of  the 
Soul— Passivity  and  Harmony  at  Seances — Honest  and 
(  undid  Scepticism — Imaginary  and  Self-indnced  Medium- 
ship — Deceptive  Communications — Cautions — Rappings — 
Spirits  made  Visible — Beware  of  Fraudulent  Mediums — 
Xot  all  Spirits  Reliable — Cabinets. 

CHAPTER   XXX. 
Miscellaneous  Incidents 415 

Felicia  Ilemans — Spirit  Dictations  of  Music 

CHAPTER  XXXL 
Miscellaneous  Incidents  (Continued) 421 

Crowd  of  Spirits  made  Visible  by  Lightning — Scarcely  Cred- 
ible but  True — A  Game  of  Euchre — Margaret's  Dream- 
Mistaken  Names  Corrected  by  Spirits — An  Unwilling  Con- 
vert made  Grateful  and  Happy — A  Spirit  Knows  better 
than  the  Postmaster — Opening  of  a  Combination  Lock — A 
Visitor  Magnetized  into  a  Medium  Himself — Curious  Story 
about  a  Mutilated  Limb — Disturbance  in  the  Troup  Street 
Cottage — A  Caution  against  Cruelty  to  Orphan  Children- 
Mrs.  Hopper's  Mysterious  End—  "Touch  Samantha" — "I 
felt  my  Handkercher  Tied  Tighter  every  Minit " — "Xo 
Brimstone  yet" — Kitchen  Work  by  Night—'  Sieh  a  Gittin' 
up  Stairs' — The  Death  of  Isaac  T  Hopper — William  M. 
Thackeray  —  "  Witch  Stories  "  —  George  Thompson  —  A 
Child's  Letter — Extracts  from  D.  Underbill's  Minute  Book 
— Practical  Jokes  Performed  and  Rebuked — A  Prophetic 
Dream — James  A.  Garfield — "Incident"  Related  by  the 
Editor. 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

Actios  of    Spirits  through  the   Meditjm:ship  of   a  Five- 
month's-old  Infant 404 

Various  Manifestations  around  tin-  Baby — Writing  in  Greek 
through  his  Hand. 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 
"The  Missing;  Ltnk" 471 

Finale 475 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


1Eb&   Margaret  Fox Fhmtispiece. 

PAGE 

John  D.  Fox 10 

Diagram,  Prospect  Street  House 43 

Autograph  Illustrations  of  a  Baby's  Mediumshif 90 

Margaretta  Fox  Kane 122 

Diagram,  Troup  Street  House  209 

Cleveland  (Ohio)  Gold  Medal  235 

Autograph  Letter  of  Alice  Gary 2G5 

Autograph  Letter  of  Same 366 

Autograph  Letter  of  John  W.  Edmonds 367 

Autograph  Letter  of  Horace  Greeley 263 

Daxiel  Uxderiiill 293 

Mrs.  Katie  Fox  Jexckex 4G.~> 

Greek  Writing  by  a  Five-month's-old  Infant 470 

A.  Leah  Underbill  (the  Author) 473 

The  Hydesyille  House 477 


Xote. — The  steel-engraved  portraits  of  the  Fox  family  are  from 
paintings,  of  dates  very  different  from  thos.'  referred  to  on  the  pages 
which  they  face.  With  the  exception  of  the  parents  (Mr.  and  Mrs. 
they  represent  the  three  "  Fbx{fM8n.{as  they  were  called)  at  ages 
more  matured  than  would  correspond  to  the  text  of  the  pages  which 
they  accompany.  Photography  was  nut  so  advanced  and  universal  as 
at  the  present  day. 


UNIVERSITY 


HsTTKODUCTICW. 


It  is  not  that  the  history  of  Spiritual  Manifestations  in 
this  century  and  country  has  not  again  and  again  been 
written,  nor  that  a  library  of  the  splendid  literature  of 
Spiritualism — narrative,  philosophical,  and  religious — does 
not  already  exist,  that  I  have  deemed  it  a  duty  to  give  this 
history  to  the  world. 

It  happens  that  nobody  else  possesses — both  in  vivid  per- 
sonal recollections  and  in  stores  of  documentary  material — 
the  means  and  the  data  necessary  for  the  task  of  giving  a 
correct  account  of  the  initiation  of  the  movement  known 
as  Modern  Spiritualism  ;  and  the  now  hastening  lapse  of 
years  gives  warning  that  if  to  place  it  on  record  is  a  duty 
■ — as  many  friends  have  often  urged — it  is  a  duty  not  to 
be  much  longer  delayed. 

Many  mistakes  and  material  omissions  have  been  made 
in  former  summary  accounts  from  pens  of  friends,  as  well 
as  misstatements  from  those  of  foes  ;  nor  could  any  one 
heretofore  form  any  clear  or  complete  idea  of  the  early 
years  of  the  epochal  period  which  dates  from  March  31, 
is  Is. 

Since  that  day,  starting  from  a  small  country  village 
of  AVestern  New  York,  Spiritualism  lias  made  its  way — 
against  tremendous  obstacles  and  resistances,  but  under 
an  impulse  and  a  guidance  from  higher  spheres — round 
the  civilized  globe.     Starting  from  three  sisters,  two  of 


INTRODUCTION. 


them  children,  and  the  eldest  a  little  beyond  that  age, 
clustered  round  a  matchless  mother  (whose  revered  por- 
trait does  honor  to  my  title-page),  its  ranks  of  believers, 
private  or  publicly  avowed,  have  grown  within  thirty-six 
years  to  millions  whose  number  no  man  positively  knows, 
but  which,  I  think,  cannot  be  less  than  as  many  as  it  counts 
of  years.  Beginning  in  a  small  house,  temporarily  occu- 
pied while  another  was  building,  it  has  established  itself 
in  sovereign  palaces ;  and  the  latest  reports  from  Eng- 
land represent  it  as  fast  growing,  under  the  encouraging 
influence  of  the  reigning  royal  family,  even  into  social 
f ashionableness.  As  in  the  story  of  the  weary  forty  years' 
wandering  of  the  children  of  Israel  in  the  desert — fed 
by  food  and  led  by  light,  both  from  heaven — so  does 
Spiritualism  seem  to  be  now  nearing  the  borders  of  its 
Promised  Land.  It  is  but  a  few  years  since  it  was  a  fav- 
orite topic  for  scoff  or  sneer  by  the  press,  while  now  it  is 
but  rarely  that  here  and  there  is  to  be  found  some  writer 
so  far  lagging  behind  the  march  of  the  age  as  still  to  yield, 
in  that  way,  to  the  force  of  former  foolish  habit.  How 
far  and  how  deeply  it  has  modified  the  old  teachings  of 
the  pulpit  is  patent  to  all  observant  eyes  ;  while  among 
the  priesthood  in  the  divine  temple  of  Science,  the  num- 
ber and  unsurpassed  rank  of  those  who,  under  its  in+lu- 
ence,  have  abandoned  the  materialism  of  their  old  philos- 
ophies, after  exhaustive  investigation  of  the  facts  and 
truths  of  Spiritualism,  is  such  as  to  stamp  with  the  disgrace 
of  simple  ignorance  those  who  may  still  dare  to  deny 
and  deride  ;  — even  as  history  has  fixed  the  fate  of  those 
professors  and  priests  who  refused  to  take  a  look  through 
Galileo's  telescope ;  or  of  those  doctors  who,  being  past 
the  age  of  forty,  could  never,  to  their  dying  day,  accept 
Harvey's  demonstrations  of  the  circulation  of  the  blood.' 
It  will  be  seen  in  the  following  pages  how  a  vein  of  that 


INTRODUCTION. 


mysterious  something  which,  in  our  generation  of  "  the 
Fox  family,"  has  come  to  be  called  "  inedinmsbip,"  is  per- 
ceptible, cropping  ont  in  old  stories,  running  through  ances- 
tral generations,  and  how  it  reappears  most  marvellously 
in  an  infant  in  the  next  one  succeeding  to  us.  It  will  also 
appear  how  lung  and  strenuously  we  resisted  its  influence 
and  its  manifestations,  and  struggled  against  the  absolute 
persecutions  which  at  last  forced  us  into  publicity. 

I  conclude  this  Introduction  by  a  brief  allusion  to  the 
reasonable  question  which  has  been  so  often  asked,  Qui 
bono  ? — or  what  is  the  use  of  the  manifestations  of  Spirit- 
ualism ? 

It  is  that  they  demonstrate  the  reality  of  the  survival 
of  man's  spirit,  or  inner  self,  after  that  "  death  "  which  is 
but  birth  into  another  stage  of  progressed  and  progressive 
life,  in  unchanged  personality  and  identity ;  or,  in  other 
words,  that  immortality  of  the  soul  (heretofore  a  mere 
dogma  of  unproved  and  unprovable  "faith"),  which  is 
the  foundation  corner-stone  of  all  religions  and  of  all 
Religion.  In  the  words  of  Paul,  to  "  faith  "  they  '"add 
knowledge."  They  thus  not  only  console  bereavement, 
snatch  from  death  its  sting,  and  from  the  grave  its  victory, 
but  through  the  concurrent  teachings  of  all  good  and 
advanced  spirits  they  make  us  feel  the  real  reality  of  the 
brotherhood  of  mankind,  and  the  common  fatherhood  of 
that  supreme,  unnamed,  and  unnamable  Infinitude  of 
Love,  Wisdom,  and  Power,  who  is  addressed  in  Pope's 
Universal  Prayer,  as — 


'•  Father  of  all,  in  every  age, 
In  every  clime  adored, 
By  saint,  by  savage,  and  by  sage, 
Jehovah,  Jove,  or  Lord." 


THE    MISSING  LINK 


MODERN    SPIRITUALISM. 


CHAPTER  I. 

HYDESVILLE. 


"Mysterious  Noises"  heard  in  the  house  of  John  D.  Fox,  in 
Hydesville  (Town  op  Arcadia),  near  Newark,  Wayne 
County,  N.  Y. — Statements  op  Witnesses. 

The  following  statements  were  made  by  the  different  per- 
sons whose  names  are  signed  to  them,  and  taken  down 
in  writing  as  they  made  them ;  after  which  they  were 
carefully  read,  and  signed  by  them.  They  comprise  but  a 
small  number  of  those  who  heard  these  noises,  or  have 
been  knowing  to  these  transactions ;  but  they  are  deemed 
sufficient  to  satisfy  the  public  mind  in  regard  to  their 
truthfulness. 

CERTIFICATE  OF    MRS.   MARGARET   FOX,  WIFE  OF   JOHN    D.  FOX, 
TILE    OCCUPANT   OF   THE   HOUSE. 

"We  moved  into  this  house  on  December  11, 1847,  and 
have  resided  here  since  that  date.  "We  formerly  lived  in  the 
city  of  Rochester,  N.  Y.    We  were  first  disturbed  by  these 


G  THE   MISSING   LINK 

noises  about  a  fortnight  ago.  It  sounded  like  some  one 
knocking  in  the  east  bedroom,  on  the  floor  ;  we  could  hardly 
tell  where  to  locate  the  sounds,  as  sometimes  it  sounded  as 
if  the  furniture  was  moved,  but  on  examination  Ave  found 
everything  in  order.  The  children  had  become  so  alarmed 
that  I  thought  best  to  have  them  sleep  in  the  room  with 
us.  There  were  four  of  us  in  family,  and  sometimes 
live. 

"  On  the  night  of  the  first  disturbance  we  all  got  up, 
lighted  a  candle  and  searched  the  entire  house,  the  noises 
continuing  during  the  time,  and  being  heard  near  the  same 
place.  Although  not  very  loud,  it  produced  a  jar  of  the 
bedsteads  and  chairs  that  could  be  felt  when  we  were  in 
bed.  It  was  a  tremulous  motion,  more  than  a  sudden  jar. 
We  could  feel  the  jar  when  standing  on  the  floor.  It  con- 
tinued on  this  night  until  we  slept.  I  did  not  sleep  until 
about  twelve  o'clock.  On  March  30th  we  were  disturbed 
all  night.  The  noises  were  heard  in  all  parts  of  the 
house.  My  husband  stationed  himself  outside  of  the  door 
while  I  stood  inside,  and  the  knocks  came  on  the  door  be- 
tween us.  We  heard  footsteps  in  the  pantry,  and  walking 
down-stairs ;  we  could  not  rest,  and  I  then  concluded  that 
the  house  must  be  haunted  by  some  unhappy,  restless 
spirit.  I  had  often  heard  of  such  things,  but  had  never 
witnessed  anything  of  the  kind  that  I  could  not  account 
for  before. 

"On  Friday  night,  March  31,  1848,  we  concluded  to  go 
to  bed  early  and  not  permit  ourselves  to  be  disturbed  by 
the  noises,  but  try  and  get  a  night's  rest.  My  husband 
was  here  on  all  these  occasions,  heard  the  noises,  and  helped 
search.  It  was  very  early  when  we  went  to  bed  on  this 
night ;  hardly  dark.  I  had  been  so  broken  of  my  rest  I 
was  almost  sick.  My  husband  had  not  gone  to  bed  when 
we  first  heard  the  noise  on  this  evening.     I  had  just  lain 


IX   MODEPwN   SPIRITUALISE. 


down.  It  commenced  as  usual.  I  knew  it  from  all 
other  noises  I  had  ever  before  heard.  The  children,  who 
slept  in  the  other  bed  in  the  room,  heard  the  rapping,  and 
tried  to  make  similar  sounds  by  snapping  their  fingers. 

;'  My  youngest  child  (Cathie)  said  :  '  Mr.  Splitfoot,  do  as 
I  do,'  clapping  her  hands.  The  sound  instantly  followed 
her  with  the  same  number  of  raps;  when  she  stopped  the 
sound  ceased  for  a  short  time.  Then  Margaretta  said,  in 
sport:  '  Xow  do  just  as  I  do;  count  one,  two,  three,  four,' 
striking  one  hand  against  the  other  at  the  same  time,  and 
the  raps  came  as  before.  She  was  afraid  to  repeat  them. 
Then  Cathie  said,  in  her  childish  simplicity :  '  O  mother, 
I  know  what  it  is  ;  to-morrow  is  April-fool  day,  and  it's 
somebody  trying  to  fool  us.'  I  then  thought  I  conld  put 
a  test  that  no  one  in  the  place  could  answer.  I  asked  the 
noise  to  rap  my  different  children's  ages,  successively.  In- 
stantly each  one  of  my  children's  ages  was  given  correctly, 
pausing  between  them  sufficiently  long  to  individualize 
them  until  the  seventh,  at  which  a  longer  pause  was  made, 
and  then  three  more  emphatic  raps  were  given,  correspond- 
ing to  the  age  of  the  little  one  that  died,  which  was  my 
youngest  child.  I  then  asked  :  '  Is  this  a  human  being  that 
answers  my  questions  so  correctly  ? '  There  was  no  rap.  I 
asked  :  '  Is  it  a  spirit  ?  If  it  is,  make  two  raps  ? '  Two  sounds 
were  given  as  soon  as  the  request  was  made.  I  then  said  : 
'If  it  was  an  injured  spirit,  make  two  raps,'  which  were 
instantly  made,  causing  the  house  to  tremble.  I  asked, 
1  Were  you  injured  in  this  house  ? '  The  answer  was  given 
as  before.  '  Is  the  person  living  that  injured  you  ?  '  An- 
swered by  raps  in  the  same  manner.  I  ascertained  by  the 
same  method  that  it  was  a  man,  aged  thirty  one-years  ;  that 
lie  had  been  murdered  in  this  house,  and  his  remains  were 
buried  in  the  cellar  ;  that  lite  family  consisted  of  a  wife  and 
five  children,  two  sons  and  three  daughters,  all  living  at 


8  THE   MISSING   LINK 

the  time  of  his  death,  but  that  his  wife  had  since  died.  I 
asked  :  '  Will  you  continue  to  rap  if  I  call  in  my  neighbors 
that  they  may  hear  it  too  ( '  The  raps  were  loud  in  the  affir- 
mative. My  husband  went  and  called  in  Mrs.  Iledfield  (our 
nearest  neighbor).  She  is  a  very  candid  woman.  The 
girls  were  sitting  up  iu  bed  clinging  to  each  other  and 
trembling  with  terror.  I  think  I  was  as  calm  as  I  am  now. 
Mrs.  Iledfield  came  immediately  (this  was  about  half  past 
seven),  thinking  she  would  have  a  laugh  at  the  children  ; 
but  when  she  saw  them  pale  with  fright  and  nearly  speech- 
less, she  was  amazed,  and  believed  there  was  something 
more  serious  than  she  had  supposed.  I  asked  a.  few  ques- 
tions for  her,  and  was  answered  as  before.  He  told  her 
age  exactly.  She  then  called  her  husband,  and  the  same 
questions  were  asked  and  answered.  Then  Mr.  Iledfield 
called  in  Mr.  Duesler  and  wife,  and  several  others.  Mr. 
Duesler  then  called  in  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hyde,  also  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Jewell.  Mr.  Duesler  asked  many  questions,  and  re- 
ceived answers.  I  then  named  all  the  neighbors  I  could 
think  of,  and  asked  if  any  of  them  had  injured  him,  and 
received  no  answer.  Mr.  Duesler  then  asked  questions 
and  received  answers.  He  asked,  '  Were  you  murdered  ? ' 
Raps  affirmative.  '  Can  your  murderer  be  brought  to 
justice  ? '  No  sound.  '  Can  he  be  punished  by  the  law  ? ' 
No  answer.  He  then  said :  '  If  your  murderer  cannot  be 
punished  by  the  law.  manifest  it  by  raps,"  and  the  raps 
were  made  clearly  and  distinctly.  In  the  same  way  Mr. 
Duesler  ascertained  that  he  was  murdered  in  the  east  bed- 
room about  five  years  ago,  and  that  the  murder  was  com- 
mitted  by   a  Mr. ,  on  a   Tuesday  night,    at   twelve 

o'clock  ;  that  he  was  murdered  by  having  his  throat  cut 
with  a  butcher  knife  ;  that  the  body  was  taken  down  cellar  ; 
that  it  was  not  buried  until  tone  next  night ;  that  it  was 
taken  through  the  buttery,  down  the  stairway,  and  that  it 


IN  MODEEN  SPIRITUALISM.  9 

was  buried  ten  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  ground.  It 
was  also  ascertained  that  he  was  murdered  for  his  money,  by 
raps  affirmative.  '  How  much  was  it,  one  hundred  ? '  Xo 
rap.  '  Was  it  two  hundred  \ '  etc. ;  and  when  he  mentioned 
five  hundred  the  raps  replied  in  the  affirmative.  Many 
called  in  who  were  fishing  in  the  creek,  and  all  heard  the 
same  questions  and  answers.  Many  remained  in  the  house 
all  night.  I  and  my  children  left  the  house.  My  husband 
remained  in  the  house  with  Mr.  Redfield  all  night.  On  the 
next  Saturday  the  house  was  filled  to  overflowing.  There 
were  no  sounds  heard  during  the  day,  but  they  commenced 
again  in  the  evening.  It  was  said  there  were  over  three 
hundred  persons  present  at  the  time.  On  Sunday  morning 
the  noises  were  heard  throughout  the  day  by  all  who  came 
to  the  house.  On  Saturday  night,  April  1st,  they  com- 
menced digging  in  the  cellar ;  they  dug  until  they  came 
to*water,  and  then  gave  it  up.  The  noise  was  not  heard 
on  Sunday  evening  nor  during  the  night.  Stephen  B. 
Smith  and  wife  (my  daughter  Maria),  and  my  son,  David 
S.  Fox  and  wife,  slept  in  the  room  this  night.  I  have 
heard  nothing  since  that  time  until  yesterday.  In  the 
forenoon  of  yesterday  there  were  several  questions  answered 
in  the  usual  MTay,  by  rapping.  I  have  heard  the  noise 
several  times  to-day. 

"  I  am  not  a  believer  in  haunted  houses  or  supernatural 
appearances.  I  am  very  sorry  that  there  has  been  so 
much  excitement  about  it.  It  has  been  a  great  deal  of 
trouble  to  us.  It  was  our  misfortune  to  live  here  at  this 
time  ;  but  I  am  willing  and  anxious  that  the  truth  should 
be  known,  and  that  a  true  statement  should  be  made.  I 
cannot  account  for  these  noises ;  all  that  I  know  is,  that 
they  have  been  heard  repeatedly,  as  I  have  stated.  I  have 
heard  this  rapping  again  this  (Tuesday)  morning,  April 
-1th.     My  children  also  heard  it.     I  certify  that  the  fore- 


10  THE   MISSING   LINK 

going  statement  has  been  read  to  me,  and  that  the  same 
is  true  ;  and  that  I  should  be  willing  to  take  my  oath  that 
it  is  so,  if  necessary. 

(Signed)  "Margaret  Fox. 

"April  11,  1848." 

STATEMENT   OF   JOHN    D.  FOX. 

"  I  have  heard  the  above  statement  of  my  wife,  Margaret 
Fox,  read,  and  hereby  certify  that  the  same  is  true  in  all 
its  particulars.  I  heard  the  same  rappings  which  she  has 
spoken  of,  in  answer  to  the  questions,  as  stated  by  her. 
There  have  been  a  great  many  questions  besides  those 
asked,  and  answered  in  the  same  way.  Some  have  been 
asked  a  great  many  times,  and  they  have  always  received 
the  same  answers.  There  has  never  been  any  contradic- 
tion whatever.  % 

"  I  do  not  know  of  any  way  to  account  for  these  noises, 
as  being  caused  by  any  natural  means.  We  have  searched 
every  nook  and  corner  in  and  about  the  house,  at  different 
times,  to  ascertain  if  possible  whether  anything  or  any- 
body was  secreted  there  that  could  make  the  noise,  and 
have  not  been  able  to  find  anything  which  would  or  could 
explain  the  mystery.  It  has  caused  a  great  deal  of  trouble 
and  anxiety. 

"Hundred shave  visited  the  house,  so  that  it  is  impossible 
for  us  to  attend  to  our  daily  occupations ;  and  I  hope  that, 
whether  caused  by  natural  or  supernatural  means,  it  will 
be  ascertained  soon.  The  digging  in  the  cellar  will  be 
resumed  as  soon  as  the  water  settles ;  and  then  it  can  be 
ascertained  whether  there  are  any  indications  of  a  body 
ever  having  been  buried  there  ;  and  if  there  are,  I  shall 
have  no  doubt  but  that  it  is  of  supernatural  origin. 

(Signed)         "  John  D.  Fox. 
"  April  11,  1848." 


IN    MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  11 


STATEMENT   OF    WILLIAM    DUESLEB. 

"I  live  in  this  place.  I  moved  from  Cayuga  County 
here,  last  October.  I  live  within  a  few  rods  of  the  house 
in  which  these  sounds  have  been  heard.  The  first  I  heard 
anything  about  them  was  a  week  ago  last  Friday  evening 
(March  31st).  Mrs.  Redfield  came  over  to  my  house,  to 
get  my  wife  to  go  over  to  Mr.  Fox's.  Mrs.  R.  appeared 
to  be  very  much  agitated.  My  wife  wanted  me  to  go  over 
with  them,  and  I  accordingly  weut.  When  she  told  us 
what  she  wanted  us  to  go  over  there  for,  I  laughed  at  her 
and  ridiculed  the  idea  of  there  being  anything  mysterious 
about  it.  I  told  her  it  was  all  nonsense,  and  that  we 
would  find  out  the  cause  of  the  noise,  and  that  it  could 
easily  be  accounted  for.  This  was  about  nine  o'clock  in 
the  evening.  There  were  some  twelve  or  fourteen  per- 
sons present  when  I  left  them.  Some  were  so  frightened 
that  they  did  not  want  to  go  into  the  room.  I  went  into 
the  room  and  sat  down  on  the  bed.  Mr.  Fox  asked  a 
question,  and  I  heard  the  rapping,  which  they  had  spoken 
of,  distinctly.  I  felt  the  bedstead  jar  when  the  sounds 
were  produced.  Mr.  Fox  then  asked  if  it  would  answer 
my  questions  if  I  asked  any ;  and  it  rapped  three  times. 
I  then  asked  if  it  was  an  injured  spirit,  and  it  rapped.  I 
asked  if  it  had  come  to  hurt  any  one  who  was  then  present. 
It  did  not  rap.  I  then  reversed  the  question,  and  it 
rapped.  I  asked  if  my  father  or  I  had  injured  it  (as  we 
bad  formerly  lived  in  that  house),  and  there  was  no  noise. 
'  K  we  have  not  injured  you,  manifest  it  by  rapping,'  and 
we  all  heard  three  distinct  raps.  I  then  asked  if  such  or 
such  a  one  had  injured  it  (meaning  the  several  families 
who  had  formerly  lived  in  the  house),  and  there  was  no 
noise.     Upon  asking  the  negatives  of  those  questions  the 


12  THE   MISSING   LINK 

rapping  was  heard.     I  then  asked  if  Mr. (naming  a 

person  who  had  lived  in  the  house  at  a  former  period)  had 
injured  it;  and  if  so,  to  manifest  it  by  rapping,  and  it 
made  three  raps  louder  than  usual ;  and  at  the  same  time 
the  bedstead  jarred  more  than  it  had  before.  1  then  in- 
quired if  it  was  murdered  for  money,  and  the  sounds  wrere 
heard.  Questions  and  answers  as  to  different  sums  of 
money  were  then  given  as  stated  by  Mr.  Fox.  All  in  the 
room  said  they  heard  the  sounds  distinctly. 

"  After  that,  I  went  over  and  got  Artemus  W.  Hyde  to 
come  over.  I  then  asked  over  nearly  all  the  same  ques- 
tions, and  got  the  same  answers.  Mr.  Redfield  went  after 
David  Jewell  and  wife,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hyde  also  came 
in.  After  they  came,  I  asked  the  same  questions  over 
again,  and  got  the  same  answers.  I  asked  if  it  was  mur- 
dered  by  being  struck  on  the  head,  and  there  were  no 
sounds  ;  I  then  reversed  the  question,  and  the  rapping  was 
heard.  I  then  asked  if  it  was  stabbed  in  the  side,  and 
there  was  no  answer.  Upon  asking  the  negative  of  this 
the  rapping  was  heard.  It  usually  rapped  three  times  in 
giving  an  affirmative  answer  to  my  questions.  I  then 
asked  if  it  had  its  throat  cut,  and  it  rapped  as  usual. 
Then,  if  it  was  with  a  butcher  knife,  and  the  rapping  was 
heard.  In  the  same  way  it  was  ascertained  that  it  was 
asleep  at  the  time,  but  was  awakened  when  the  knife  en- 
tered its  throat ;  that  it  struggled  and  made  some  noise 
and  resistance.  Then  I  asked  if  there  was  any  one  in  the 
house  at  the  time  but  him,  and  it  did  not  rap.  I  then 
asked  if  they  two  were  alone,  and  the  rapping  was  heard. 
I  then  asked  if  Lucretia  Pulver  was  there  at  the  time,  and 
there  was  no  rapping.     If  she  had  gone  away  that  night, 

and  if  Mrs.  Mras  gone  away  also,  and  the  rapping 

was  heard  each  time.     There  was  no  rapping  heard,  only 
when  we  asked   questions.     I   then  asked  if  any  one  in 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  13 


Hydesville  knew  of  the  murder  at  the  time  except 


and  it  rapped.  Then  I  asked  about  a  number  of  persons, 
if  they  knew  it,  and  there  was  no  rapping  until  I  came 

to  Mrs. ,  and  when  I  came  to  her  name  the  rapping 

was  heard.  Then  if  any  one  but  —  and  wife  knew 
of  it,  and  I  got  no  rap.  Then  if  they  were  all  that  knew 
of  the  murder,  and  it  rapped.  I  asked  if  the  body  was 
put  into  the  cellar,  and  it  rapped.  I  then  asked  if  it  was 
buried  in  different  points  of  the  cellar,  and  to  all  my  ques- 
tions there  was  no  rapping,  until  I  asked  if  it  was  near 
the  centre,  and  the  rapping  was  heard.  Charles  Redfield 
then  took  a  candle  and  went  down  cellar.  I  told  him  to 
place  himself  in  different  parts  of  the  cellar,  and  as  he  did 
so  I  asked  the  question  if  a  person  was  over  the  place  where 
it  was  buried,  and  I  got  no  answer  until  he  stood  over  a 
certain  place  in.  the  cellar,  when  it  rapped.  He  then 
stepped  one  side,  and  when  I  asked  the  question  there  were 
no  noises.  This  we  repeated  several  times,  and  we  found 
that  whenever  he  stood  over  the  one  place  the  rapping  was 
heard,  and  when  he  moved  away  from  that  one  place, 
there  was  no  rapping  in  answer." 

Note. — The  remainder  of  Mr.  Dneslers  statement  does 
not  vary  from  that  of  my  mother  and  others,  and,  for 
want  of  room,  is  omitted..    It  was  dated  April  12,  1848. 

STATEMENT    OF    MISS    LUGRETIA    rULVER. 

"  I  lived  in  this  house  all  one  winter,  in  the  family  of 

Mr. .     I  worked  for  them  a  part  of  the  time,  and 

a  part  of  the  time  I  boarded  and  went  to  school.  I  lived 
there  about  three  months.  During  the  latter  part  of  the 
time  I  was  there  I  heard  these  knockings  frequently :  in 
the  bedroom,  under  the  foot  of  the  bed.  I  heard  it  a  num- 
ber of  nights,  as  I  slept  in  the  bedroom  nearly  all  the  time 
that  I  stayed  there.     One  night  I  thought  I  hoard  a  man 


14  THE   KISSING    LINK 

walking  in  the  buttery.  This  buttery  is  near  the  bed- 
room, with  a  stairway  between  the  two.  Miss  Amelia 
Losey  stayed  with  me  that  night.  She  also  heard  the  noise, 
and  we  were  both  much  frightened,  and  got  up  and  fast- 
ened down  the  windows,  and  fastened  the  door.  It  sounded 
as  if  a  person  walked  through  the  buttery,  down  ■cellar, 
and  part  way  across  the  cellar  bottom,  and  then  the  noise 
ceased.  There  was  no  one  else  in  the  house  at  the  time 
except  my  little  brother,  who  was  asleep  in  the  same  room 
with  us.  This  was  about  twelve  o'clock  I  should  think. 
We  did  not  go  to  bed  until  after  eleven,  but  had  not  been 

asleep   when   we  heard  it  striking.     Mr.    and  Mrs.  ■ ■ 

.had  gone  to  Loch  Berlin,  to  be  gone  till  the  next  day. 

One  morning  about  a  week  after  this  Mrs. sent  me 

down  cellar  to  shut  the  outside  door  (which  fastens  on  the 
inside).  In  going  across  the  cellar  I  sank  knee  deep  in  the 
centre  of  the  cellar.     It  appeared  to  be  uneven  and  very 

loose.     After  I  got  up-stairs  Mrs. asked  me  what  I 

screamed  for.  AVhen  I  told  her,  she  laughed  at  me  for 
being  frightened,  and  said  it  was  only  where  rats  had  been 
at  work  in  the  ground. 

"A  day  or  two  after  this,  Mr. carried  a  lot  of  dirt 

into  the  cellar,  just  at  night,  and  was  at  work  there  some 
time.  Mrs.  told  me  that  he  was  filling  up  the  rat- 
holes. 

"  A  few  clays  before  I  first  heard  the  noises,  or  anything 
of  the  kind  had  ever  occurred,  a  foot-pedlar  called  there 

about  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.     Mrs. then  told 

me  that  Mr. thought  they  would  not  want  me  any 

longer,  and  that  I  might  go  home  ;  but,  if  they  wanted  me 

again  they  would  send  for  me.     Mrs. was  going  to 

Loch  Berlin,  to  stay  that  night.  This  was  the  first  I  had 
heard  of  it.  I  wanted  to  buy  some  things  of  the  pedlar, 
but  had  no  money  with  me,  and  he  said  he  would  call  at 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  15 

our  house  the  next  morning  and  sell  them  to  me.  Iru  vt  r 
saw  him,  after  that.  Three  days  after  this  they  sent  for 
me  to  come  and  hoard  with  them,  and  go  to  school.  I  ac- 
cordingly came,  and  went  to  school  about  one  week,  when 
she  wanted  I  should  stay  out  of  school  and  do  house-work, 
as  she  had  a  couple  of  coats  to  make  over  for  her  husband. 
She  said  they  were  too  large  for  her  husband,  and  out  of 
fashion,  and  she  must  alter  them.  They  were  ripped  to 
pieces  when  I  first  saw  them.  I  should  think  the  pedlar 
was  about  thirty  years  old.     I  heard  him  conversing  with 

Mrs.   about  his  family.     He  told   her  how   many 

children  he  had,  in  answer  to  her  inquiry.  I  do  not  recol- 
lect how  many  he  said  he  had.     Mrs.  told  me  that 

he  (the  pedlar)   was  an  old  acquaintance  of   theirs.     A 

short  time  after  this  Mrs. gave  me  a  thimble,  which 

she  said  she  had  bought  of  the  pedlar,  and  paid  him  nftjr 
cents  for.  Some  time  after  I  had  left  her  I  visited  her 
again  ;  and  she  said  the  pedlar  had  been  there  again,  and 
showed  me  another  thimble,  which,  she  said,  she  had 
bought  of  the  same  pedlar.  She  said  he  had  cheated  her; 
that  he  had  sold  it  to  her  for -pure  silver,  but  it  was  only 
German  silver.  She  also  showed  me  some  other  things 
which  she  said  she  had  bought  of  him. 

"  I  did  not  (and  do  not  now)  know  what  to  think  of  the 
noises  I  have  heard.  The  dog  would  sit  under  the  bed- 
room window  and  howl  all  night  long.     Mr.  and  Mrs. 

appeared  to  be  very  good  folks,  only  they  were  rather 
quick-tempered. 

"This pedlar  carried  a  trunk  and  a  basket,  I  think,  with 
vials  of  essence  in  it.  He  wore  a  black  coat  and  light- 
colored  pants. 

"I  am  willing  to  swear  to  the  above  statement,  if  neces- 

Ba,7-  "LUCKETIA  PULVEE. 

"Aran.  11,  1848." 


16  THE   MISSING   LINK 


MRS.    ANNA    rUI.VER. 

"  I  was  acquainted  with  Mr.  and  Mrs. .    I  called  on 

them  frequently.  My  warpiDg  bars  were  in  their  chamber, 
and  I  used  to  go  there  to  do  my  work.     One  morning 

when  I  went  there  Mrs. told  me  that  she  felt  very 

badly  ;  that  she  had  not  slept  much,  if  any,  the  night  be- 
fore. When  I  asked  her  what  the  matter  was,  she  said 
she  didn't  know  but  it  was  the  fidgets ;  but  she  thought 
she   heard  something  walking  about  from   one  room  to 

another,  and  that  she  and  Mr. got  up  and  fastened 

the  windows  down.  She  felt  safe  after  that.  I  heard 
Jier  speak  about  hearing  sounds  after  that,  which  she  could 
not  account  for. 

"  Anna  Pulyer. 

"April  11,  1848." 

It  will  be  sufficient  to  sum  up  the  important  bearings  of 
this  subject  by  quoting  a  few  more  extracts  from  the  num- 
erous certificates  contained  in  the  little  pamphlet  published 
by  E.  E.  Lewis,  Esq.,  of  Canandaigua,  X.  Y. 

"Mr.  and  Mrs.  Weekman  lived  in  this  house  for  a  year 
and  a  half,  and  were  frequently  startled  by  the  rappings, 
walking,  etc.  On  several  occasions  the}r  sought  diligently 
to  discover  the  cause.  He  stood  with  his  hand  on  the 
latch,  and  when  the  knockings  were  repeated,  suddenly 
opened  the  door  and  ran  into  the  3-ard  and  entirely  around 
the  house  ;  but  nothing  was  ascertained  by  him." 

Mrs.  Weekman  says  :  "  We  heard  great  noises  during  the 
night ;  sometimes  a  sound  as  if  a  person  was  walking  in 
the  cellar.  (There  was  nothing  but  a  single  board  floor, 
between  the  cellar  and  the  upper  room,  so  that  the  sound 
made  in  one  was  easily  heard  in  the  other.)  One  night 
one  of  our  little  girls,  who  slept  in  the  room  where  the  noises 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  17 

were  beard,  awoke  us  all  by  her  screaming  very  loudly. 
Iffy  husband  and  myself,  and  our  hired  girl,  all  went  to  the 
room  to  see  what  was  the  matter  with  her.  The  child  sat 
up  in  bed,  crying  and  screaming,  and  it  was  some  time  be- 
fore we  could  quiet  her  enough  to  get  answers  to  our  ques- 
tions. She  said  '  something  had  been  moving  around  her 
and  over  her  head  and  face :  that  it  was  cold,  and  that  she 
felt  it  all  over  her.'  This  was  between  twelve  and  one 
o'clock.  We  took  her  into  bed  with  us,  and  it  was  a  long 
time  before  we  could  get  her  to  sleep  in  that  bed  again. 
At  one  time  Mr\  Weekman  heard  his  name  called.  (I  was 
away  that  night,  sitting  up  with  a  sick  person.)  He  was 
awakened,  and  supposed  some  one  wanted  him.  He  sat  up 
in  bed  for  some  time,  but  heard  no  more.  We  never  found 
out  what  or  who  called  him.  So  many  have  heard  these 
noises  that  it  seems  there  must  be  something  unusual." 

Mrs.  Jane  C.  Lape  "  lived  in  the  family  of  Mrs.  Week- 
man  at  the  time  she  states.  There  was  but  one  door  in 
the  bedroom.  When  I  was  doing  my  work,  I  saw  a  man 
in  the  bedroom  joining  the  kitchen.  I  saw  the  man  dis- 
tinctly. I  was  frightened.  I  had  been  in  the  kitchen  a 
long  time,  and  knew  that  nobody  could  have  gone  into 
that  room.  The  man  stood  facing  me  when  I  saw  him. 
He  did  not  speak,  nor  did  I  hear  any  noise  at  any  time. 
He  had  on  light  pants,  black  frock-coat,  and  cloth  cap.  He 
was  of  medium  size.  I  knew  of  no  person  in  that  vicin- 
ity who  would  answer  that  description.  Mrs.  Weekman 
was  in  another  part  of  the  house  at  that  time.  I  left  the 
room,  and  when  I  returned  with  Mrs.  Weekman  there 
was  no  person  there.  She  thought  it  was  some  person 
who  wanted  to  frighten  me  ;  but  we  were  never  able  to 
ascertain  who  or  what  it  was.  I  have  always  thought  and 
still  do  think  that  it  was  supernatural.  I  had  never  been 
a  believer  in  such  things  until  I  saw  this." 


18  THE   MISSING   LINK 

TIIK    WELL    OFFENSIVE. 

"We,  the  undersigned,  do  hereby  certify  that  during  the 
summer  of  1844,  we  lived  near  the  house  now  occupied  by 

John  D.  Fox ;  that  it  was  then  occupied  by ; 

and  that,  during  the  Rummer,  the  water  in  that  well  was 
very  offensive  and  bad.  We  further  certify  that  said  well 
is  within  thirty  feet  of  the  centre  of  the  cellar  under  said 
house. 

"  (Signed)     Norman  Ayres. 

John  Irish. 
"Arcadia,  April  18,  1848." 

In  my  brother's  statement  (see  pamphlet  by  E.  E.  Lewis, 

Esq.)  was  given  a  correct  account  of  the  digging  to  find 

the  body  of  the  murdered  man  in  the  cellar. 

STATEMENT   OF   DAVID    S.    FOX. 

"  I  live  about  two  miles  from  the  house  my  father,  John 
D.  Fox,  now  occupies,  and  where  these  strange  noises  were 
heard.  It  was  a  week  ago  last  Friday,  March  31st,  when 
they  told  me  about  it.  I  advised  them  to  make  a  thor- 
ough search,  and  I  thought  they  would  find  a  cause  for  it. 
I  heard  no  noise,  and  after  remaining  a  short  time,  re- 
turned home.  The  next  morning,  April  1,  1S48,  they 
sent  for  me  to  come  again,  and  they  told  me  the  noises 
had  been  heard  all  night.  I  went  early  in  the  evening; 
heard  the  rapping  distinctly.  Many  questions  were  asked 
and  answered  by  the  rapping." 

(It  is  not  necessary  to  here  repeat  all  of  David's  state- 
ment, as  the  entire  substance  of  it  is  given  in  nearly  all 
the  other  certificates.) 

"  A  large  collection  of  people  had  assembled,  more  than 
could  get  into  the  house ;  committees  were  chosen,  and 
placed  in  different  parts  of  the  house,  that  no  deception 
might  be  practised  by  any  one.     These  committees  were 


IN  MODERN  BPIEITTJALI8M:.  19 

composed  of  neighbors  and  friends,  whom  we  knew  to  be 
strictly  honest.  I  remained  in  the  house  until  about  one 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  noises  had  ceased  a  little  be- 
fore twelve.  After  some  of  the  crowd  had  left,  we  com- 
menced digging  in  the  cellar.  Before  digging  I  asked  the 
question  :  '  In  what  part  of  the  cellar  was  your  body  bur- 
ied I '  naming  the  different  corners  of  the  cellar.  No  re- 
sponse was  made.  '  Was  it  in  the  centre  ? '  The  rapping 
answered  affirmatively.  Mr.  Carlos  Hyde  went  down  in 
the  cellar,  walked  over  the  bottom,  asking  at  every  point 
if  he  was  over  the  right  place,  but  no  rappings  were  heard 
until  he  stood  in  the  centre  of  the  cellar.  It  then  rapped 
so  that  those  in  the  cellar  as  well  as  those  in  the 
room  above  could  hear  it.  \Ye  dug  about  three  feet 
deep,  when  the  water  came  in  so  fast  we  had  to  stop.  I 
was  here  again  on  Monday,  April  3d,  and  we  commenced 
diira'ino;  again  in  the  cellar,  and  baling  out  the  water;  but 
we  found  it  impossible  to  make  any  headway. 

"  On  Tuesday  evening  they  began  digging  again.  I  got 
a  pump,  and  we  took  up  the  floor  and  put  it  in  the  hole, 
and  began  to  pump  and  bale  out  the  water  at  the  same 
time.  We  could  not  lower  the  water  much  and  had  to 
give  it  up.  The  water  is  in  the  hole,  although  it  is  lower- 
ing gradually.  I  thought,  from  there  being  so  many  re- 
spectable people  present;  and  they  having  heard  the  same 
sounds  that  I  did,  that  there  must  be  something  in  it.  I 
never  believed  in  haunted  houses  or  anything  of  that  kind. 
I  have  heard  of  such  things,  but  never  saw  or  heard  any- 
thing but  what  I  could  account  for  on  reasonable  grounds. 
I  cannot  account  for  this  noise  as  being  produced  by  any 
human  agency.  I  am  perfectly  willing  to  take  my  oath  as 
to  the  truth  of  the  statements  which  I  have  here  made,  if 
it  is  thought  necessarv. 

"  (Signed)     David  S.  Fox. 

"Tuesday,  April  11,1848." 


20  THE   MISSING   LINK 


CHAPTER    II. 

HYDESVILLE  ( Conlin  ued). 

The  Last  Digging  in  tiie  Cellar — Mob  Antagonism — Noble 
Friends — Experiences  and  Theories — Antecedents  of  the 
House— Franklin. 

It  was  late  in  July,  1848.  The  old  house  at  Hydesville 
was  not  occupied  by  any  one,  save  the  "  murdered  man." 
Many  went  there  alone,  or  in  small  parties  ;  and  often  the 
reppings  were  heard. 

We,  too,  visited  the  old  house,  went  down  into  the  cel- 
lar, and  called  on  the  spirits  to  answer  our  questions  and 
direct  us  aright. 

Notwithstanding  all  the  bitter  conflicts  we  had  passed 
through  in  Rochester,  we  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
good  spirits  (as  well  as  bad  ones)  could  manifest  themselves 
to  us.  We  were  greatly  favored  in  our  early  associations 
with  a  class  of  progressive  philanthropic  people  among 
our  neighbors,  whose  highest  aim  was  to  benefit  the 
world,  and  who  urged  us  to  go  forth  and  do  our  duty. 
We  learned  from  them  to  take  a  more  liberal  view,  as 
they  had  taught  us  many  valuable  lessons  of  forbearance 
and  perseverance.  When  I  saw  my  dear  good  brother 
bow  with  the  others,  and  ask  questions  of  the  Spirits,  my 
soul  and  all  within  me  was  lifted  beyond  the  scoffs  and 
ridicule  which  I  knew  we  must  submit  to  if  we  performed 
the  heavy  duties  incumbent  upon  us.  There  had  been 
great  excitement  for  a  time,  but  little  now  was  said  in 
that  vicinity  about  it,  as  there  had  been  so  much  ridicule 
attached  to  the  occurrences  of  the  past,  that  the  leaders 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  21 

shrank  from  further  publicity.  But,  during  this  time,  we 
were  having  our  experiences  in  Rochester,  where  I  resided. 
It  was  now  directed  by  the  Spirits  that  the  digging  should 
be  resumed.  (It  was  the  dry  season  of  the  year,  and  the 
water  in  the  Ganargna*  was  low.)  My  brother  declared 
that  he  could  not  again  enter  upon  so  hazardous  an  un- 
dertaking. He  believed  himself  capable  of  acting  on  his 
own  judgment  in  the  matter.  But  for  once  he  found,  to 
his  utter  discomfiture,  that  the  mighty  powers  that  seemed 
to  rule  our  destiny  were  not  to  be  defeated.  The  Spirits 
directed  that  he  should  invite  certain  gentlemen  to  assist 
in  the  digging.  They  spelled  out  the  names  of  many 
Rochester  friends,  viz.,  Henry  Bush,  Lyman  Granger,  Mr. 
Post,  Dr.  Faulkner,  and  Rev.  A.  11.  Jervis.  The  above- 
named  were  old  and  tried  friends,  and  we  felt  no  hesita- 
tion in  calling  upon  them  ;  but  when  David  was  requested 
to  invite  gentlemen  living  in  the  vicinity  of  Hydesville, 
with  whom  he  had  little  or  no  acquaintance,  he  positively 
refused  to  do  their  bidding.  The  friends  in  Rochester 
received  this  announcement  with  apparent  satisfaction. 
All  came  at  the  appointed  time.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Granger 
and  daughter,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bush,  Mrs.  Jervis,  Dr.  Faulk- 
ner and  his  little  son,  etc.  I  doubt  if  either  of  these 
gentlemen  had  ever  used  the  pickaxe  ancT  spade  before  ; 
but  they  came  willing  to  perform  their  duty.  Brother 
David  still  declared  that  he  could  not,  and  would  not,  make 
himself  so  ridiculous  as  to  invite  men  who  would  laugh  at 
him  for  entertaining  such  an  idea  ;  but  still  the  Spirits  com- 
manded him  to  obey  instructions,  and  nightly  they  would 
go  through  the  performance  of  representing  the  murder 
scene.  (This  occurrence  was  in  my  brother's  house.) 
Gurgling,  strangling,  sawing,  planing,  and  boring;  repre- 

*  Tlie  old  Indian  name  of  the  creek. 


22  THE   MISSING    LINK 


senting  the  enactment  of  the  horrid  crime  said  to  have 
been  committed  in  the  Hydesville  house. 

Our  friends  urged  David  to  act  in  accordance  with  the 
request  of  the  "  Spirits,"  but  he  could  not  make  up  his 
mind  to  do  so.  lie  walked  from  room  to  room,  and  in 
secret  prayed  that  this  terrible  injunction  might  be  re- 
moved. He  cried,  with  uplifted  hands,  to  God,  to  have 
compassion  on  our  family ;  and  then,  in  despair,  would 
say  :  "  Better  to  die  together,  than  to  live  so  disgraced." 
The  sight  of  his  grief  and  despair  was  heart-rending ;  but 
the  Spirits  were  inexorable.  The  day  appointed  for  the 
digging  arrived.  During  the  previous,  night  all  was  in  an 
uproar.  The  sounds  as  of  broken  crockery  were  heard,  and 
as*  if  heavy  weights  were  dragged  across  the  floor.  Saw- 
ing, planing,  digging,  boring,  groaning,  and  whispering 
close  to  our  ears.  This  continued  until  the  bright,  beauti- 
ful dawn  of  the  morning  warned  us  that  it  was  time  to 
prepare  for  the  labors  of  the  day.  We  were  commanded 
by  the  Spirits  thus — "  Go  forth  and  do  your  duty,  and 
good  will  come  of  it."  Chauncy  Culver,  my  brother's 
wife's  brother,  called  in,  and  David  said  :  "  Chauncy,  you 
are  politely  invited  to  join  us  in  the  digging  to-day."  He 
answered,  "I  am  willing  to  do  so,  Dave."  Others  who 
had  been  named,  but  not  invited,  dropped  in  by  chance, 
and  all  united  with  us  ;  but  the  great  burden  fell  upon 
David's  shoulders.  Chickens  were  cooked,  puddings,  pies, 
cakes,  and  sweet-meats  were  prepared  by  my  brother's 
wife,  Elizabeth,  and  my  sister  Maria.  Our  living  was 
sumptuous,  and  we  had  very  little  opposition  during  the 
first  day's  work.  The  earth  was  hard  and  dry,  and  the 
digging  tiresome ;  but  the  party  worked  diligently  until 
near  noon,  when  they  came  to  a  quantity  of  charcoal  and 
traces  of  lime  (this  was  between  four  and  five  feet  below 
the  cellar  bottom),  some  hair  of  a  reddish  or  sandy  hue, 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  23 

and  some  teeth,  which  showed,  beyond  all  question,  that 
the  earth  had  at  some  time,  and  for  some  purpose,  been 
disturbed.  The  party  worked  on  until  it  began  to  grow 
dark,  and  the  first  day's  work  was  ended.  We  retained 
to  David's  home,  about  two  miles  from  the  Hydesville 
house,  well  satisfied  with  our  day's  work,  and  the  friends 
felt  that  they  had  done  all  in  their  power  to  get  at  the 
truth  of  the  Spirits'  declaration. 

We  made  two  large  beds  on  opposite  sides  of  the  par- 
lor ;  the  women  and  children  rested  upon  one  of  them,  and 
the  men  on  the  other;  Dr.J^aulkner  and  his  little  son 
being  in  the  parlor  bedroom.  All  heard  the  manifesta- 
tions that  night ;  and  they  were  most  wonderful  in 
character.  This  arrangement  of  the  beds  was  directed  by 
the  Spirits,  that  they  might  gratify  all  by  making  mani- 
festations during  the  night. 

The  next  day  we  resumed  our  labor.  The  ladies  accom- 
panied their  husbands  and  friends.  We  had  started  as 
early  as  possible.  Mr.  S.  B.  Smith,  my  sister's  husband, 
my  brother  David,  and  some  of  the  neighbors  turned  out 
five  or  six  wagons  to  convey  us  to  our  destination,  form- 
ing quite  a  procession  of  our  own  ;  but  as  we  came  to  the 
turn  of  the  hill,  from  whence  we  could  see  in  all  direc- 
tions, there  were  vehicles  of  every  description  wending 
their  way  to  the  "  haunted  house."  Shouts  of  ribaldry 
and  roars  of  laughter  fell  upon  our  ears  like  the  death-knell 
of  some  poor  soul — who  might  almost  begin  to  feel  him- 
self guilty  of  crimes  he  had  never  committed. 

We  entered  the  cellar.  On  came  the  noisy  rabble.  Our 
noble,  pale-faced,  honorable  men  stood  firm  in  their  duty. 
Mark  the  contrast,  dear  leaders:  many  of  those  noble  sonla 
now  stand  in  the  higher  ranks  in  glory.  They  have  passed 
through  the  fiery  furnace,  entered  the  "golden  gate"  of 
the  new  Jerusalem  ;  and  to  them  offer  your  praises  and 


24  THE   MISSING   LINK 

admiration.  Such  men  and  women  as  tho.se  dared  to  stand 
before  the  world  and  battle  for  the  right.  It  was  such  as 
they  who  fought  and  won  the  great  battle  against  slavery 
and  contributed  to  its  overthrow.  May  they  continue  to 
live  in  the  memories  of  the  children  of  earth. 

Through  the  second  day  the  digging  was  frequently 
interrupted  by  the  rude  entrance  of  some  of  the  outside 
crowd.  We  (the  women)  formed  a  guard  around  the 
place  whore  the  work  was  in  progress,  to  protect  the  men 
thus  engaged.  We  had  candles  in  our  hands,  with  which 
to  light  the  laborers,  when  suddenly  one  of  the  workers 
cried  out,  "  Great  God !  here  are  the  pieces  of  a  broken 
bowl ! "  (The  Spirit  always  said  that  the  bowl  which 
caught  his  blood  was  buried ;  and  he  represented  nightly 
the  sound  of  pouring  blood  into  a  vessel  or  bowl,  dropping 
slower  and  slower,  until  at  last  it  ceased  entirely ;  and  then 
the  sound  would  come  as  if  the  bowl  were  thrown  and 
broken  in  pieces.)  Several  bones  were  found  which  doctors 
pronounced  human  bones,  stating  to  what  parts  of  the 
body  they  belonged.  One,  I  remember,  was  said  to  be 
from  the  ankle,  two  from  the  hands,  and  some  from  the 
skull,  etc.  (Some  persons,  who  never  saw  these  bones, 
argued  that  they  were  not  human  bones,  hair,  and  teeth 
which  were  there  found.  But  I  ask,  in  the  name  of  com- 
mon sense,  how  did  they  happen  to  be  there,  nearly  six 
feet  beneath  the  cellar  bottom  ?) 

In  the  afternoon  the  crowrd  outside  gresv  more  bold,  and 
among  them  were  sympathizers  with  the  man  who  was  ac- 
cused by  the  general  public  opinion.  We  pitied  him,  and 
regretted  that  he  had  been  named ;  but  we  never  knew 
that  such  a  man  had  lived,  until  the  neighbors  had  brought 
out  the  fact  by  putting  questions  which  were  answered  by 
the  rappings. 

These  spectators  were  becoming  more  and  more  excited, 


IN   MODERN  SPIRITUALISM.  25 

and  crowded  into  the  cellar.  Some  called  us  crazy.  They 
reached  over  the  heads  of  the  women  and  spat  upon  and 
dropped  sticks  and  stones  on  those  who  were  digging. 
We  still  stood  firm  in  the  defence  of  our  friends,  the  la- 
boring party  ;  and  they  worked  on  until  they  struck  what 
seemed  to  be  a  board.  This  sounded  hollow,  and  its  loca- 
tion was  beneath  the  sand  and  gravel.  They  procured  an 
augur  and  bored  through  the  obstruction,  when  the  augur 
dropped  to  the  handle.  They  then  obtained  bits,  and  at- 
tached them  to  long  sticks,  and  with  them  bored  several 
inches,  when  the  bit  would  drop  to  the  depth  of  a  foot  or 
more.  In  this  way  they  lost  two  of  the  bits,  which 
dropped  through  and  were  not  recovered.  By  this  time 
the  excitement  was  overwhelming.  The  cellar  was  filled 
with  people.  Some  cried,  "  Drag  out  the  women  !  drag 
them  out !  "  Others  said,  "  Don't  hurt  the  women,  drair 
out  the  men !  "  The  floor  over  our  heads  creaked  with 
the  weight  of  the  multitude.  It  grew  dark.  Our  friends 
could  work  no  longer,  and  reluctantly  retired.  How  we 
all  reached  the  outside,  amid  the  shouts  and  the  roar  of 
the  excited  crowd,  I  cannot  explain  ;  but  at  length  we 
stood  together  in  the  door-yard,  awaiting  our  conveyances, 
and  no  word  of  disrespect  was  spoken  to  any  of  us.  The 
Spirits  said :  "  Dear  faithful  friends,  your  work  here  is 
done.     God  will  reward  you." 

"  Yes,"  said  that  noble-looking  man,  Henry  Bush,  with 
the  acquiescence  of  all,  "  our  work  is  done." 

We  all  returned  to  David's  (the  old  homestead).  That 
night  and  the  following  day  our  friends  returned  to  Ro- 
chester.    We  remained  a  few  days  with  our  family. 

I  must  pass  over  many  interesting  circumstances,  or  it 
will  be  wholly  impossible  to  put  our  story  in  one  volume: 
but  I  deem  it  due  to  my  family  that  some  facts  should  be 
stated  in  this  history. 


26  THE    MISSING    LINK 

A.fter  the  public  parts  we  had  been  forced  to  perform 
at  IJydcsville,  the  news  spread  far  and  wide.  The  crowd 
of  people  came  in  wagons  from  every  direction  before  the 
harvest  bad  been  gathered.  Some  drove  through  the  gate, 
but  others  took  down  the  fences,  and  drove  through  the 
grain  fields,  and  peppermint  beds,  regardless  of  the  destruc- 
tion they  were  perpetrating.  Against  all  this  destruction 
of  his  property,  David  was  defenceless.  lie  saw  and  felt 
how  utterly  useless  it  was  for  him  to  attempt  to  remon- 
strate with  such  an  element. 

It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  when  a  tired  horseman  came 
galloping  up  the  carriage  road,  to  inform  my  brother  that 
a  party  consisting  of  several  wagon-loads  were  on  their 
way  to  mob  us.  At  this  announcement  we  were  much 
frightened,  and  knew  not  what  to  do.  Intimations  of  such 
a  design  had  reached  us  previously,  and  powder  and  shot 
had  been  provided  for  our  defence.  The  boys  and  hired 
men  had  gathered  piles  of  stones  behind  the  house,  and  at 
first  it  was  considered  to  be  our  wisest  way  to  defend  our- 
selves as  best  we  could. 

The  sun  was  low  and  we  dreaded  the  night  coming  on. 
What  could  we  do  ?  Mother  called  us  all  into  the  parlor 
bedroom,  and  there  we  knelt,  with  fear,  and  prayed  to 
God  for  protection.  The  Spirits  spelled  out  to  us,  "  You 
will  not  be  harmed.  God  will  protect  you."  We  stood 
for  a  moment  and  counselled  together.  The  package  of 
powder  flew  from  the  top  of  the  bureau  and  hit  Cathie  on 
the  forehead,  and  that  of  the  shot  came  and  struck  me  on 
the  shoulder.  My  brother  took  the  guns  and  fired  them 
off,  and  threw  the  powder  and  shot  into  the  peppermint 
patch,  saying,  "  I  will  not  raise  a  hand  against  them.  If 
God  has  sent  this  upon  us,  for  the  good  of -mankind,  he  is 
able  to  protect  us.     I  will  trust  him." 

The   windows  were   fastened   down    as  best  we  could. 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  27 

The  clog  began  to  bark  fearfully.  "VVe  heard  the  distant 
shouts  and  snatches  of  songs,  and  knew  they  would  soon 
be  upon  us.  They  drove  up  the  road,  into  the  yard,  and 
one  woman  jumped  through  the  window  of  the  kitchen, 
hoojhs  and  all.  She  Mas  in  the  kitchen  before  any  of  us 
knew  they  had  entered  the  door-yard.  David  left  us 
alone  in  the  parlor,  walked  into  the  kitchen,  and  said  to 
the  woman,  "  If  you  had  knocked  I  would  have  opened 
the  door  for  you ;  it  was  not  locked."  He  then  opened 
all  the  doors,  walked  out  to  the  crowd,  and  said,  "  Ladies 
and  gentlemen,  walk  in.  You  are  welcome  to  search  the 
house  from  .garret  to  cellar,' if  you  will  do  so  respect- 
fully. "  One  man,  the  leader  of  the  crowd,  exclaimed,  in 
a  manner  of  the  utmost  surprise  :  "  My  God  !  Dave  Fox, 
is  it  you  they  have  said  so  much  about  ?  No,  we  won't 
come  in  now.  We'll  go  home  and  dress  ourselves  and 
come  another  time." 

Thus  ended  this  mob  against  the  Spiritualists,  as  all 
others  subsequently  have  ended.  The  Spirits,  therefore, 
fulfilled  their  promise  and  protected  us  from  all  harm. 

I  might  fill  many  a  page  with  the  experiences  of  the 
family  in  that  house  at  Hydesville,  during  the  period  of 
about  three  months  and  three  weeks  preceding  that  March 
31,  1848,  on  which  the  neighbors  were  first  called  in. 
From  the  very  first  niglit  of  their  taking  possession  of  it, 
they  were  disturbed  and  puzzled  with  the  strange  knock  - 
ing8  and  other  noises.  '  They  had  gone  into  it  only  as  a 
temporary  home,  while  my  father  was  building  the  new 
house  on  the  homestead  farm,  and  the  carpenter  had  esti- 
mated a  couple  of  months  as  sufficient  time  for  his  work. 
All  sorts  of  natural  theories  were  imagined  as  to  the  cause 
of  the  sounds,  nor  did  they,  for  sometime,  think  of  Spirits 
or  of  anything  supernatural,  or  even  important.  Father  in- 
sisted, at  one  time,  that  they  proceeded  from  a  cobbler  in 


2S  THE   MISSING   LINK 


the  neighborhood,  hammering  leather,  and  working  late 
in  the  night.  Then  it  was ''some  boards  that  must  be 
loose  and  shaken  by  the  wind."  Then  it  appeared  that 
"  there  must  be  dancing  going  on  at  Mr.  Duesler's,  or 
some  other  house  within  hearing  ; "  then  "  the  house  must 
be  full  of  rats  " — though  mother  declared  she  had  never 
seen  a  rat  in  it.  Again,  when  the  knocks  would  break 
out  suddenly,  close  to  some  of  the  family,  or  at  the  table, 
one  of  the  girls  would  charge  the  other  with  having 
caused  them,  saying,  "  Now  you  did  that,"  etc.,  etc.  Father 
had  always  been  a  regular  Methodist,  in  good  standing, 
and  was  invariable  in  his  practice  of  morning  prayers  ;  and 
when  he  would  be  kneeling  upon  his  chair,  it  would  some- 
times amuse  the  children  to  see  him  open  wide  his  eyes, 
as  knocks  would  sound  and  vibrate  on  his  chair  itself. 
He  expressed  it  graphically  to  mother:  "When  I  am 
done  praying,  that  jigging  stops."  My  daughter  Lizzie 
used  to  declare  that  when  she  was  writing,  there  would 
sometimes  come  a  strong  ticking  on  the  paper.  One 
night  loud  screams  were  heard  from  the  children,  Maggie 
and  Cathie,  in  bed.  "  O  mother,  come  quick.  Somebody 
has  lain  down  across  the  bed."  They  were  often  so 
frightened  that  mother  would  have  to  take  them  to  lie 
on  both  sides  of  her  in  her  bed,  and  sometimes  they 
would  go,  one  to  father's  bed  and  the  other  to  mother's. 
But  these  frights  were  attributed  to  bad  dreams.  Indeed, 
it  now  seems  strange  that  so  little  serious  impression  was 
made  on  their  minds  for  so  long  a  time  by  these  strange 
things,  so  persistent,  so  varied,  and  so  inexplicable,  which 
they  instinctively  abstained  from  talking  about  to  the 
neighbors. 

It  was  not  till  March  31st  that  they  seemed  to  have 
culminated  to  the  point  which  exhausted  their  patience, 
and  which  at  last  drove  them  to  do  so.     On  the  preceding 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  29 

night  they  had  been  kept  awake  nearly  all  night  by  the 
knocking  and  heavy  poundings  about  the  house ;  and  up 
to  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  they  were  occupied  pursu- 
ing the  sounds  about  from  place  to  place,  puzzling  over 
them,  and  baffled  in  every  attempt  to  discover  a  cause. 
The  door  would  be  pounded  upon  from  the  outside,  and 
father  would  take  hold  of  the  handle,  and  on  the  return  of 
the  knocking  would  suddenly  fling  the  door  open,  only  to 
discover  nothing.  He  and  mother  stood  on  the  opposite 
sides  of  it,  and  each  would  hear  the  knocking  on  the  side 
opposite  to  themselves,  as  though  made  by  powerful  muf- 
fled knuckles.  Yet  on  neither  side  could  be  found  traces 
of  any  person  or  thing  to  have  produced  them,  while  both 
would  feel  the  strong  vibrations  of  the  wooden  door. 

It  was  afterward  learned  that,  for  several  years  back, 
strange  noises  had  been  heard  by  successive  occupants  of 
that  house,  none  of  whom  had  remained  long  as  its  ten- 
ants. Prior  to  its  occupation  by  a  certain  family  there  had 
been  no  such  disturbances ;  subsequently  to  then,  they 
had  been  experienced  by  all  their  successors.  It  would 
be  easy  for  me  to  name  families  of  the  highest  respecta- 
bility, and  who  are  still  my  good  friends,  who  would  at- 
test this.* 

*  It  would  seem  that  none  of  the  families  who,  in  the  course  of  several 
years,  had  preceded  the  Fox  family  in  the  occupancy  of  this  haunted 
house,  combined  the  highly  mediumistic  nature  with  the  other  character- 
istics specially  qualifying  them  for  the  great  work  for  which  the  time 
was  ripe,  so  that  the  manifestations,  which  appealed  for  attention,  had 
knocked  in  vain  at  doors  which  could  not  open  to  them.  Dr.  Franklin, 
great  philosopher  and  inventor  of  his  time,  was  also,  in  the  Spirit  life, 
oiw  of  the  inventors  of  this  mode  of  communication  between  the  two 
worlds,  through  knockings  given  in  correspondence  with  the  letters  of 
the  alphabet.  Through  another  medium,  besides  the  author  of  this 
volume,  he  has  told  me  that  out  of  "millions  "  he  at  last  found  in  the  Fox 
family  the  instruments  he  wanted  for  its  practical  application  and  intro- 
duction.    This  narrative  curiously  shows  how  hard  and  long  they  too 


30  THE  MISSING   LINK 


CHAPTER  III. 

EOCHESTEE. 

My  First  Knowledge  of  the  Matter— Hasten  to  Hydesville— 
Rapping  on  a  Canal  Boat — Experiences — Mother  Comes 
to  Rochester — Calvin  Brown— Devious  Route  of  Projec- 
tiles Uf-stairs  from  Cellar  to  Garret — A  Death-knell 
Sounded  All  Night  on  the  Keys  of  a  Locked  Piano. 

This  volume  is  not  meant  to  be  an  autobiography,  though 
I'regret  to  be  compelled  to  speak  so  much  of  myself  in 
giving  an  account  of  the  inauguration  of  the  movement 
known  as  "  Modern  Spiritualism,"  through  the  three  sis- 
ters of  the  Fox  family,  of  whom  I  was  the  eldest,  and 
already  married  when  my  two  sisters,  Margaret ta  and 
Catharine,  were  children.  I  was  not  with  the  family,  but 
at  my  own  house  in  Rochester,  during  most  of  the  events 
related  above. 

I  was  myself  also  at  that  time  but  little  more  than  a 
child,  for  when  I  was  married  at  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  I  could 
count  but  fourteen  years  and  five  months.  It  will  be  seen 
below  how  I  was  twice  widowed  before  the  age  of  twenty- 
struggled  against  the  mission  to  which  the  Spirits  were  leading  and  at 
last  forcing  them,  as  will  be  seen  below.  I  asked  him  if  Spirits  had  in- 
fluenced them  to  take  the  Hydesville  house.  His  reply  was  a  curious 
one.  Instead  of  three  consecutive  and  decided  raps,  which  would  have 
expressed  assent,  he  on  two  occasions  answered  with  only  two  raps,  fol- 
lowed after  a  moment's  pause  with  a  third,  completing  a  qualified 
affirmative.  "You  mean  that  it  was  partially  so?"  I  said;  which  was 
immediately  answered  with  an  unqualified  assent  ;  and  he  added,  "  It 
was  many,  not  one  alone,"  thus  disclaiming  the  credit  of  its  sole  and 
individual  authorship. — Ed. 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  31 

four,  though  my  second  marriage  was  on  the  supposed 
death-bed  of  one  who  had  been  a  brother  to  us  all  from 
childhood,  and  who  merely  desired  to  bequeath  me  his 
name. 

Mr.  Fish  discovered  when  too  late  that  he  had  married 
a  child,  and  soon  became  indifferent  to  his  home  and 
family.  He  left  Rochester  under  a  pretence  of  going  on 
business  to  the  West.  The  next  I  heard  of  him  was  that 
he  had  married  a  rich  widow  in  the  State  of  Illinois. 

As  he  had  left  little  means  for  the  support  of  myself  and 
child,  I  turned  my  attention  to  teaching  music.  I  had 
many  friends  who  assisted  me  in  getting  pupils,  and  I  was 
delighted  to  find  myself  entirely  independent.  One  day 
(early  in  May,  1848),  I  was  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Little, 
enjoying  myself  with  the  young  ladies,  when  Mrs.  Little 
came  in  with  the  proof-sheet  of  a  pamphlet  issued  by  E. 
E.  Lewis,  Esq.,  of  Canandaigua,  N.  Y.  Mrs.  Little  knew 
my  maiden  name  was  Fox;  that  my  parents  (at  the  time) 
were  in  Arcadia,  "Wayne  County,  1ST.  Y.,  and  concluded  I 
must  be  the  daughter  of  John  D.  Fox.  She  then  intro% 
duced  the  printer,  and  he  commenced  questioning  me  about 
my  family  relations.  He  said,  "  Is  your  mother's  name 
Margaret  ?  Have  you  a  brother  David  ?  "  I  replied,  yes. 
I  began  to  be  startled  by  his  questions,  and  said,  "For 
mercy's  sake,  what  has  happened  ?  "  He  answered  by  plac- 
ing the  proof-sheet  in  my  hands,  which  gave  me  the  first 
idea  I  ever  had  of  the  manifestations  which  had  been  tak- 
ing place  at  the  dwelling  of  our  family  in  Hydesville.  I 
read  it,  and  cried  over  it.  I  knew  not  what  to  think,  but 
I  said  to  them  all,  "If  my  father,  mother,  and  brother  David 
have  certified  to  such  a  statement,  it  is  true?  All  who 
heard  me  thus  declare  believed  it,  and  never  wavered  for 
a  moment.  As  soon  as  I  could  collect  my  thoughts,  I  called 
on  Mrs.  Granger  and  Mrs.  Groverj  old  friends  of  mine  and 


32  THE   MISSING   LINK 

of  our  family,  and  related  to  them  the  account  which  I  had 
read  in  the  proof-sheet. 

I  told  them  I  should  take  the  night  boat  for  Newark, 
Wayne  County.  I  would  visit  ray  family,  and  learn  for 
myself  about  the  mysterious  affair.  They  concluded  to  go 
with  me.  We  were,  at  that  time,  obliged  to  travel  by  the 
Erie  Canal  packet-boat,  as  the  direct  railroad  between 
Syracuse  and  .Rochester  had  not  yet  been  built.  It  took 
a  few  hours  longer  then  than  now  to  make  that  jour- 
ney. When  we  arrived  at  Ilydesville,  which  is  about  two 
miles  from  our  old  homestead,  we  found  the  house  de- 
serted. My  brother  had  persuaded  the  family  to  leave 
the  old  ''haunted  house,"  and  live  with  him  until  their 
new  house  was  finished. 

We  drove  to  brother  David's,  where  we  found  mother 
completely  broken  down  by  the  recent  events.  She  never 
smiled  ;  but  her  sighs  and  tears  were  heart-rending.  We 
begged  her  to  hope  for  the  best,  and  try  to  think  differ- 
ently ;  but  she  could  not.  She  wished  Ave  could  all  die ; 
and  it  was,  at  the  time,  impossible  to  cheer  her  by  any- 
thing we  could  say  or  do.  She  was  only  about  middle 
age,  and  her  health  had  always  been  good  ;  and  she  was, 
by  nature,  very  cheerful. 

I  with  the  ladies  who  accompanied  me  remained  about 
two  weeks,  when  we  concluded  to  take  Katie  and  Lizzie 
(ray  daughter)  with  us  and  return  home  to  Eochester,  as 
mother  thought  the  former  to  be  the  one  followed  mostly 
by  the  sounds  ;  and  we  hoped,  by  separating  the  two  chil- 
dren (Maggie  and  Katie),  that  we  could  put  a  stop  to  the 
disturbance. 

We  had  not  gone  many  miles  on  the  canal,  however, 
when  we  became  aware  that  the  rapping  had  accompanied 
us.  Perfect  consternation  came  upon  us.  I  knew  not 
what  to  do.     We  did  not  wish  our  friends  to  know  that 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  33 

the  rapping  bad  followed  us ;  and  we  remained,  as  much 
a>  possible,  by  ourselves. 

When  we  went  to  the  dinner-table  witlv  the  other 
passengers,  the  Spirits  became  quite  bold  and  rapped 
loudly  ;  and  occasionally  one  end  of  the  table  would  jump 
up  and  nearly  spill  the  water  out  of  our  glasses ;  but  there 
was  so  much  noise  on  the  boat  going  through  the  locks 
and  other  disturbances,  that  only  we,  who  recognized  the 
special  sounds,  knew  of  them.  We  arrived  at  home  about 
5  p.m.  I  sat  down  to  think  over  the  occurrences  of  the 
day  and  of  other  days  during  my  visit. 

The  two  girls  had  gone  into  the  garden.  All  at  once 
came  a  dreadful  sound,  as  if  a  pail  of  bonnyclabber  had 
been  poured  from  the  ceiling  and  fallen  upon  the  floor 
near  the  window.  The  sound  was  horrible  enough,  but, 
in  addition,  came  the  jarring  of  the  windows  and  of  the 
whole  house,  as  if  a  heavy  piece  of  artillery  had  been  dis- 
charged in  the  immediate  vicinity.  I  was  so  paralyzed  by 
fear  that  I  could  not  move,  and  sat  stupefied ;  again  came 
the  same  terrible  sound,  with  all  the  jarring,  as  at  first ; 
and  yet  again  it  came  ;  when  I  sprang  from  the  sofa  on 
which  I  had  been  seated  and  rushed  out  into  the  garden 
where  the  children  were.  They  immediately  cried  out, 
"  Why,  what  is  the  matter  with  you,  Leah  ?  how  pale  you 
look  ! "  I  made  some  evasive  reply,  as  I  did  not  wish  to 
alarm  them. 

We  went  to  bed  at  an  early  hour,  being  tired  and  much 
excited.  The  children  had  expressed  great  fear,  and  I 
went  to  bed  with  them.  Xo  sooner  had  I  extinguished 
the  light,  than  the  children  screamed,  and  Lizzie  said  she 
felt  a  cold  hand  passing  over  her  face,  and  another  over 
her  shoulder  down  her  back.  She  screamed  fearfully, 
and  I  feared  she  would  go  into  spasms.  Katie  was  also 
much  frightened.      For   my  part  I  was   equally  terror- 


34  THE   MISSING   LINK 


stricken.  I  arose  from  my  bed  and  sought  the  Bible,  from 
which  I  read  a  chapter.  But  while  I  was  reading  the 
girls  felt  seme  touches.  I  had  never  felt  them :  and  I 
could  not  realize  that  they  were  not  in  some  way  mis- 
taken. 

It  was  now  late  in  the  night  and  all  was  silent.  We 
thought  we  would  try  to  sleep,  as  we  were  tired  and  ex- 
cited. But  the  instant  we  extinguished  our  light  the  Bible 
Hew  from  under  my  pillow— where  I  had  placed  it,  sup- 
posing that  the  sacred  volume  would  be  respected.  The 
box  of  matches  was  shaken  in  our  faces,  and  such  a  variety 
of  performances  ensued  that  we  gave  up  in  despair  to  our 
fate,  whatever  it  might  be.  We  called  on  each  other,  if 
either  was  silent  a  few  moments,  that  we  might  know  that 
we  were  all  alive.  Finally,  when  the  night  was  nearly 
spent,  the  disturbance  ceased,  and  we  fell  asleep.  We  did 
not, awake  until  very  late  in  the  morning.  The  sun  shone 
brightly,  and  the  birds  sang  sweetly  in  the  trees  of  the 
public  square.  (Our  residence  then  was  on  Mechanics' 
Square.)  The  June  roses  were  just  out,  and  all  nature 
was  in  her  loveliest  hues.  We  could  not  make  the  dis- 
turbances of  the  past  night  seem  real  to  us.  I  doubted 
everything,  but  kept  my  own  counsel ;  and  as  the  shades 
of  evening  fell  upon  the  scene,  which  had  been  a  day  of 
such  brightness  and  beauty,  I  made  up  my  mind  that  I 
would  go  on  as  usual  and  try  to  forget,  as  far  as  possible, 
the  frightful  occurrences  of  the  previous  night.  In  the 
evening  my  friend  Jane  Little  and  two  or  three  other 
friends  called  in  to  spend  an  hour  or  so  with  us.  We  sang, 
and  I  played  on  the  piano  ;  but  even  then,  while  the  lamp 
was  burning  brightly,  I  felt  the  deep  throbbing  of  the 
dull  accompaniment  of  the  invisibles,  keeping  time  to  the 
music  as  I  played  ;  but  I  did  not  wish  to  have  my  visitors 
know  it,  and  the  Spirits  seemed  kind  enough  not  to  make 


IN   MODERN   BPIBITUALISM.  35 

themselves  heard  so  that  others  would  observe  what  was 
so  apparent  to  me. 

All  seemed  quiet  when  we  retired  for  the  night,  at  about 
ten  o'clock.  AVe  slept  quietly  for  about  two  hours,  when 
we  were  awakened  by  the  most  frightful  manifestations. 
The  house  was  in  a  perfect  uproar.  Tables  and  everything 
in  the  room  below  us  were  being  moved  about.  Doors 
were  opened  and  shut,  making  the  greatest  possible  noises. 
They  then  walked  upstairs  and  into  the  room  next  to  us 
(our  bedroom  was  an  open  recess  off  from  this  room). 
There  seemed  to  be  many  actors  engaged  in  the  perform- 
ance, and  a  large  andience  in  attendance. 

The  representation  of  a  pantomime  performance  was 
perfect. 

After  the  first  scene,  there  was  great  applause  by  the 
Spirit  audience.  Immediately  following,  one  Spirit  was 
heard  to  dance  as  if  with  clogs,  which  continued  fully  ten 
minutes.  This  amused  the  audience  very  much  ;  and  a 
loud  clapping  of  hands  followed.  After  this  we  heard 
nothing  more  except  the  representation  of  a  large  crowd 
walking  away  down-stairs,  through  the  rooms,  closing  the 
doors  heavily  after  them.  It  is  useless  to  attempt  to  record 
all  the  manifestations  which  occurred  nightly  during  the 
last  few  weeks  that  we  remained  in  that  house.  I  came 
to  the  conclusion  that  it  was  haunted,  and  decided  to  move 
out  of  it  as  soon  as  I  could  find  another  house  that  suited  me. 

There  was  a  house  on  Prospect  Street,  nearly  finished, 
and  I  engaged  it.  I  was  particular  to  tell  the  agent  that  I 
wanted  a  house  in  which  no  crime  had  been  committed. 
For  I  believed  that  the  house  I  was  then  living  in,  like 
the  one  at  Ilydesvillc,  was  haunted  ;  and  I  presumed  that 
in  this  case  as  in  the  other  it  must  have  had  its  origin 
in  hidden  crime.  He  smiled  as  he  remarked  that  he 
"thought  that  I  would  have  no  difficulty  on  that  account." 


36  THE  MISSING  LINK 

We  moved  into  this  house  as  soon  as  possible,  and  con- 
gratulated ourselves  on  our  good  fortune  in  finding  a  place 
that  had  never  before  been  tenanted. 

Two  houses  stood  on  one  foundation.  On  the  ground 
floor  was  a  kitchen,  cellar,  and  pantry.  The  staircase  led 
from  the  kitchen  to  the  second  floor.  On  the  outside,  a 
front  and  rear  flight  of  steps  led  to  a  balcony  from  which 
we  could  enter  the  parlor  and  dining-room,  on  the  second 
floor.  Another  flight  of  steps  led  from  the  dining-room 
to  the  third  floor,  which  was  one  room  the  entire  length 
and  breadth  of  the  house.  In  this  last-named  room  we  put 
up  three  beds,  and  one  bed  in  the  room  on  the  parlor 
floor.  I  partitioned  off  a  small  room  in  one  corner  of  the 
upper  floor  with  chintz  curtains.  This  lessened  the  size 
of  the  large  room  and  afforded  us  a  store-room.  In  the 
rear  of  the  house  was  an  old  cemetery,  called  "  the  Buf- 
falo Burying-ground."  This  cemetery  was  separated  from 
our  lot  by  a  high  fence.  I  remember  I  disliked  the  idea 
of  seeing  those  tall  monuments  every  time  I  went  into  the 
pantry.  (The  entrance  into  the  dining-room  from  the 
kitchen  was  through  the  pantry.) 

Nothing  occurred,  during  the  first  night  of  our  occu- 
pancy of  this  house,  of  an  unusual  character,  and  we  slept 
undisturbed. 

I  had  written  to  our  family  at  Arcadia,  and  told  them 
what  was  transpiring  with  us  nightly.  This  worried 
mother,  and  she  determined  to  come  immediately,  and 
find  some  plan  for  suppressing  it,  if  it  could  possibly  be 
done.  She,  with  Margaretta,  arrived  the  next  day,  and 
we  rejoiced  to  tell  her  that  we  had  occupied  the  new 
house  one  night,  and  no  sounds  had  been  heard  to  disturb 
us.  After  supper  we  remained  at  the  table  a  long  time, 
until  mother  suggested  that  it  was  getting  late,  and  we  had 
better  retire  for  the  night. 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  37 

All  was  quiet  until  about  midnight,  when  we  distinctly 
heard  footsteps  coming  up  the  stairs,  walking  into  the 
little  room  I  had  partitioned  off  with  curtains,  which 
seemed  admirably  adapted  to  their  purposes.  We  could 
hear  them  shuffling,  giggling,  and  whispering,  as  if  they 
were  enjoying  themselves  at  some  surprise  they  were  about 
to  give  us.  Occasionally  they  would  come  and  give  our 
bed  a  tremendous  shaking,  lifting  it  (and  us)  entirely 
from  the  floor,  almost  to  the  ceiling,  and  then  let  us  down 
with  a  bang ;  then  pat  us  with  hands.  Then  they  would 
retire  to  the  little  room,  which  we  subsequently  named 
"  the  green  room."  At  length  we  were  quiet,  and  all  fell 
asleep  and  slept  until  late  in  the  morning. 

The  sun  shone  brightly  in  through  the  window,  and 
mother  exclaimed  :  "  Can  it  be  possible  ?  Is  it  really  true  ? 
How  can  we  live  and  endure  it  ?  We  cannot  much  longer 
stay  here  alone  nights.  We  must  have  somebodjr  to 
stay  with  us."  Fillmore  Grover  came  to  take  his  lesson, 
and  mother  asked  him  to  tell  Calvin  she  would  like  to 
have  him  call  and  see  her.  (Calvin  Brown's  mother  had 
been  left  a  widow  when  quite  young.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  Daniel  Hopkins,  of  Canada  West,  and  be- 
longed to  the  Society  of  Friends.  She  married  out  of 
the  society,  which  was  then  against  their  discipline.  She 
placed  her  oldest  child,  Calvin,  in  a  military  school  ;  and 
when  she  found  herself  gradually  failing  in  strength,  she 
wrote  to  her  father,  who  came  and  took  her  home,  with 
her  three  younger  children.  She  returned  once  to  Roches- 
ter, and  requested  mother  to  look  after  Calvin,  and  care 
for  him  as  she  would  for  her  own  child,  if  she  should  not 
recover.  His  mother  died,  and  he  called  my  parents  father 
and  mother ;  the  same  as  the  rest  of  us.) 

lie  called  at  about  two  o'clock.  We  all  sat  down  and 
related  what  had   happened  and  what  we  had  witnessed 


THE   MISSING  LINK 

during  the  past  night.  lie  promised  to  come  and  stay 
there  at  night ;  but  lie  advised  us  to  ask  no  questions,  nor 
give  them  any  encouragement,  as  he  considered  them  evil 
spirits.     To  this  we  all  agreed. 

lie  came  that  night,  and  we  were  allowed  to  rest 
quietly  until  abou-t  two  o'clock,  when  we  were  all  awakened 
by  a  disturbance  in  the  "  green  room.''  Everything  seemed 
to  be  in  commotion,  but,  as  Calvin  was  in  the  house,  I  felt 
more  confidence  in  myself.  I  asked  them  to  please  behave 
themselves.  At  this,  one  Spirit  walked  around,  as  if  on 
his  bare  feet.  lie  answered  my  question  by  stamping  on 
the  floor.  I  was  amused — although  afraid.  He  seemed 
so  willing  to  do  my  bidding  that  I  could  not  resist  the 
temptation  of  speaking  to  him  as  lie  marched  around  my 
bed.  I  said,  "  Flat- Foot  *  can  you  dance  the  Highland 
fling  ?  "  This  seemed  to  delight  him.  I  sang  the  music 
for  him,  and  he  danced  most  admirably.  This  shocked 
mother,  and  she  said,  "  O  Leah,  how  can  you  encourage 
that  fiend,  by  singing  for  him  to  dance  ?  "  I  soon  found 
that  they  took  advantage  of  my  familiarity,  and  gathered 
in  strong  force  around  us.  And  here  language  utterlv  fails 
to  describe  the  incidents  that  occurred.  Loud  whisper- 
ing, giggling,  scuffling,  groaning,  death-struggles,  murder 
scenes  of  the  most  fearful  character — I  forbear  to  describe 
them.  Mother  became  so  alarmed  that  she  called  to  Cal- 
vin to  come  up-stairs.  He  came — angry  at  the  Spirits,  and 
declared  that  "  he  would  conquer,  or  die  in  the  attempt." 
This  seemed  to  amuse  them.  They  went  to  his  bed,  raised 
it  up  and  let  it  down,  and  shook  it  violently.  He  was 
still  determined  not  to  yield  to  them. 

Before  Calvin  came  up-stairs,  and  during  a  short  lull  in 
their  performances,  we  quickly  removed  our  beds  to  the 


As  from  the  sounds  of  the  foot-falls  it  seemed  to  us. 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  39 

floor,  hoping  thereby  to  prevent  them  from  raising  us  up 
and  letting  us  down  with  such  violence.  Calvin  said,  as 
he  came  up,  that  we  were  foolish  to  make  our  beds  on  the 
floor,  as  it  pleased  the  Spirits  to  see  how  completely  they 
had  conquered  us.  So  he  laid  down  on  his  bed,  and  quiet- 
ly waited  developments.  Mother  said,  "  Calvin,  I  wish 
your  bed  was  on  the  floor,  too.  "We  have  not  been  dis- 
turbed since  we  left  the  bedstead."  Calvin  remarked, 
"  They  are  up  to  some  deviltry  now.  I  hear  them.''  He 
no  sooner  uttered  these  words,  than  a  shower  of  slippers 
came  flying  at  him  as  he  lay  in  his  bed.  He  bore  this 
without  a  murmur.  The  next  instant  he  was  struck  vio- 
lently with  his  cane.  He  seized  it  and  struck  back,  right 
and  left,  with  all  his  strength,  without  hitting  anything  ; 
but  received  a  palpable  hang  in  return  for  every  thrust  lie 
made.  He  sprang  to  his  feet  and  fought  with  all  his 
might.  Everything  thrown  at  him  he  pitched  back  to 
them,  until  a  brass  candlestick  was  thrown  at  him,  cutting 
his  lip.  This  quite  enraged  him.  He  pronounced  a  sol- 
emn malediction,  and,  throwing  himself  on  the  bed,  vowed 
he  would  have  nothing  more  to  do  with  "fiendish  Spirits.'' 
lie  was  not  long  permitted  to  remain  in  quiet  there. 
They  commenced  at  his  bedstead  and  deliberately  razed 
it  to  the  floor,  leaving  the  head-board  in  one  place,  the 
foot-board  in  another,  the  two  sides  at  angles,  and  the  bed- 
clothes scattered  about  the  room.  He  was  left  lying  on 
his  mattress,  and  for  a  moment  there  was  silence;  after 
which  some  slight  movements  were  heard  in  the  "  green 
room.''  I  had  stowed  a  large  number  of  balls  of  carpet- 
rags  in  an  old  chest  standing  on  the  floor,  with  two 
trunks  and  several  other  articles  on  the  top  of  it.  It 
seemed  but  the  work  of  a  moment  for  them  to  get  at  the 
carpet-balls,  which  came  flying  at  us  from  every  direction, 
hitting  us  in  the  same  place  every  time.     They  took  us 


40  THE   MISSING   LINK 

for  their  target,  and  threw  with  the  skill  of  an  archer. 
J hukness  made  no  difference  with  them,  and  if  either  of 
us  attempted  to  remonstrate  against  such  violence,  they 
would  instantly  give  the  remonstrant  the  benefit  of  a  ball. 
The  next  day  was  Sunday.  We  were  greatly  depressed, 
and  decided  to  leave  things  as  they  were.  After  break- 
fast we  concluded  to  visit  Mount  Hope  Cemetery.  We 
returned  late,  and  retired  immediately  after  supper. 
While  sitting  on  our  bed-side  (on  the  floor),  deliberating 
in  our  own  minds  what  was  best  to  do,  we  were  suddenly 
startled  by  a  tremendous  knocking  on  the  roof  of  the  house. 
(The  raps  always  appear  to  be  made  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  door,  or  floor,  table,  etc.)  We  implored  them  to 
stay  where  they  were  (as  it  seemed  the  noises  were  outside 
the  house),  and  let  us  alone ;  but  no  sooner  was  the  re- 
quest made,  than  a  sound  slap  was  given  us  each,  as  if  in 
reproof  of  what  we  had  been  saying.  A  second  slap,  as 
if  with  an  open  hand,  was  administered  to  Cathie,  when 
she  cried  out,  "  O,  look!  "  We  all  saw  what  seemed  to 
be  the  form  of  a  large  man,  lying  across  the  foot  of  our 
bed,  breathing  irregularly,  and  apparentl}7  in  great  dis- 
tress. (The  sheet  was  wrapped  around  him,  muffled 
closely  about  his  neck.)  His  gurgling  manifestation  was 
terrific,  and  produced  a  sensible  vibration.  We  pitied 
him.  He  appeared  like  one  passing  through  the  agonies 
of  death.  While  we  were  contemplating  this  figure,  an- 
other slap  came  upon  Cathie,*  and  she  fell  to  all  appear- 

*  My  youngest  sister  Catharine  is  sometimes  called  Cathie  in  these 
pages  and  sometimes  Katie.  Mother  and  father  always  called  her 
Cathie  and  it  was  her  domestic  name.  At  a  later  period  the  public  al- 
ways spoke  and  wrote  of  her  as  Katie,  so  that  that  appellation  came  prac- 
tically to  supersede  the  other.  Brit  now,  while  writing  of  the  period 
here  referred  to,  the  Cathie  rises  spontaneously,  and  for  mother's  sake  I 
love  to  let  it  so  stand,  pronouncing  it  to  myself  as  she  did,  Cathie,  as  a 
diminutive  of  Catharine. 


IX    MODERN   SPIRITUALISE.  41 

ance  lifeless.  We  were  greatly  alarmed  at  this  terrible 
manifestation.  We  knew  nothing  of  Clairvoyance,  Mag- 
netism, or  Trance  Mediums,  at  that  time.     We  had  no 

one  to  advise  ns,  and  we  were  nearly  distracted.  Calvin 
took  a  looking-glass  and  held  it  close  to  Cathie's  month,  but 
we  could  discern  no  signs  of  life.  Finally  we  were  on  the 
point  of  calling  some  one  in,  when  a  deep  groan  an- 
nounced that  she  lived.  "We  held  her  hands,  but  could 
not  perceive  the  slightest  pulsation.  After  remaining  in 
this  unconscious  state  for  some  time,  she  again  moaned 
piteously  and  raised  her  hand,  pointing  at  something  she 
saw,  and  explained  to  us  afterward.  We  asked  many 
questions  which  she  answered  by  pressing  our  hands. 
She  described  the  terrible  occurrence  at  the  Hydesville 
house,  and  when  the  influence  left  her,  she  wept  inconsol- 
ably  for  a  long  time. 

After  she  became  quiet  a  holy  influence  fell  upon  her, 
and  she  repeated  twenty  or  thirty  verses  of  poetry.  I  can 
only  remember  the  last  line  of  each  verse,  which  was : 

"  To  be  with  Christ  is  better  far." 

After  this  things  changed  somewhat.  "We  heard  the 
sounds  at  all  times  of  day  and  night,  variously  located  in 
different  parts  of  the  house,  but  in  a  much  milder  form; 
unless  some  of  us  attempted  to  go  contrary  to  their  wishes. 
Often  at  meal-time  the  table  would  be  gradually  agitated, 
and  Calvin  in  particular  would  be  more  disturbed  than  the 
rest  of  us.  Once  he  arose  from  his  chair  and  reached 
across  the  table  for  a  heavy  pitcher  of  water,  when  the 
chair  was  instantly  removed  and  he  sat  down  on  the  floor, 
spilling  the  water  all  over  himself.  lie  instantly  arose 
and  with  an  execration  denounced  the  whole  thing  as  the 
work  of  the  devil  and  his  imps.  Of  course  we  laughed 
at  his  calamity,  and  he  thought  we  should  not  encourage 


42 


THE   MISSING   LINK 


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A,  Handrail  to  landing  from  second  floor.  B,  Bed  occupied  by  Calvin.  C,  Our  mattresses 
laid  together  on  the  floor.  D,  E,  Beds.  F,  A  store-room.  The  dotted  lines,  with  arrows, 
show  the  route  taken  by  the  vegetables  from  the  Btore-room  or  kitchen  floor  to  their  des- 
tination two  stories  above. 


IX    MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  43 

such  things  by  laughing  at  them.  Ileoften  laughed  about 
it.  vcars  afterward,  as  heartily  as  we  had  done. 

We  had  stored  our  winter  provisions  in  the  cellar. 
Among  them  were  several  barrels  of  apples,  potatoes,  tur- 
nips, etc.  From  this  cellar  came  the  apples,  potatoes,  and 
turnips  flying  across  our  room,  hitting  all  in  precisely  the 
same  place  every  time.  It  will  now  be  remembered  that 
these  articles  were  in  the  cellar  on  the  ground  floor,  and 
had  to  come  from  the  rear  of  the  cellar,  through  the  door, 
into  the  kitchen,  through  the  kitchen,  up  the  stairs,  into 
the  pantry  on  the  second  floor,  through  the  pantry  into  the 
dining-room,  up  the  second  flight  of  stairs,  into  the  large 
room  in  which  we  slept,  hitting  us  as  we  lay  in  our  beds 
near  the  front  window.  The  reader  can  trace  their  path- 
way from  departure  to  arrival  at  their  destination  on  the 
diagram  of  the  three  stories. 

A  cabinet  shop  was  the  next  thing  represented  by  the 
Spirits.  They  seemed  to  be  possessed  of  all  kinds  of  tools 
to  work  with.  After  sawing  off  boards  they  would  let  them 
fall  heavily  on  the  floor,  jarring  everything  around  them. 
Then  after  planing,  jointing,  driving  nails,  and  screwing 
down  the  lid  of  a  coffin,  they  would  shove  the  hollow 
sounding  article  about  the  room.  (This  we  understood  at 
a  later  day.)  Often,  to  our  utter  amazement,  pickets  from 
the  discarded  lots  in  the  cemetery  came  flying  through  the 
room  over  our  heads,  on  our  heds,  like  debris  in  a  tornado. 
They  came  from  the  extreme  west  side  of  the  burying- 
groimd,  through  that  lot,  and  the  distance  of  two  hundred 
feet  through  our  lot ;  an  entire  distance  of  about  four  hun- 
dred feet.  That  they  came  by  no  visible  means,  we  knew  ; 
as  no  human  power  could  have  thrown  them  through  the 
air  into  our  chamber  window,  hitting  us  on  our  beds,  in 
the  same  place  every  time. 

Mrs.  Tick  and  her  three  daughters  lived  in  the  other 


44  THE   MISSING   LINK 


house,  on  the  same  foundation  as  our  own.  She  was  a 
very  quiet  neighbor,  and  sympathized  with  us.  She  was 
a  native  of  England,  and  related  many  interesting  and 
strange  things  which  she  had  witnessed  in  her  own 
family. 

I  did  not  wish  to  encourage  the  manifestations,  and  wo 
seldom  asked  questions.  At  this  time,  our  troubles  (in 
ltochester)  were  not  known  to  any  one  except  Mrs.  V  ick 
and  our  own  family.  But  things  were  coming  to  a  fearful 
crisis.  We  closed  our  windows  and  did  not  raise  our 
shades  during  the  day.  This  seemed  to  annoy  the  Spirits 
more  than  anything  else  we  had  done,  and  caused  them  to 
make  a  change  in  their  manifestations.  Calvin  had  gone 
away  with  his  (military)  company,  and  we  were  left  alone 
several  days,  at  the  mercy  of  the  Spirits.  We  had  the 
consolation  of  knowing  that  we  had  never  harmed  any  one, 
and  we  could  see  no  reason  why  the  Spirits  should  wish  to 
harm  us. 

We  called  on  our  friends,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Post,  and  told 
them  our  story,  which  afforded  them  no  little  amusement 
at  our  expense.  They  were  friends  of  our  family,  and 
listened  attentively  to  our  statement,  believing  we  were 
suffering  under  some  psychological  delusion.  But  when  they 
came  to  examine  for  themselves,  and  witnessed  the  mani- 
festations in  their  own  house,  they  began  to  think  we  were 
not  so  entirely  deluded  as  they  had  supposed.  As  soon  as 
they  became  interested,  they  begged  permission  to  invite 
some  friends  of  theirs.  We  consented  to  let  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Henry  Bush,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lyman  Granger  come  ^ 
they  were  friends  of  our  family,  provided  they  would  keep 
the  matter  a  profound  secret.  But  we  soon  found  it  was 
not  long  to  be  so  kept. 

At  times,  when  we  were  overcome  with  anxiety,  we 
would  all  kneel  down  with  mother,  and  pray  for  protec- 


IX   MODERN   BPIRITTTALISM.  45 

tion.  We  had  become  Batiefied  that  no  earthly  power 
could  relieve  us.  Wliileon  our  knees,  pins  would  be  stuck 
into  different  parts  of  our  persons.  Mother's  cap  would 
be  removed  from  her  head,  her  comb  jerked  out  of  her 
hair,  and  every  conceivable  thing  done  to  annoy  us.  We 
resolved  to  rest,  as  best  we  could,  during  the  day  ;  but 
would,  on  our  knees,  pray  to  have  these  evil  doings  sup- 
pressed. Often  did  my  dear  anxious  mother  exclaim — 
"  What  have  we  done  ?  What  have  we  done,  that  we  should 
be  so  tormented  ?  Dear  children,  pray  to  God  to  have 
mercy  upon  us.'' 

My  little  sister  Katie  would  sometimes  say,  ';  /  can't 
pray,  I  feel  more  Wee  8weari/ng.n 

One  evening  they  had  been  more  quiet  than  usual. 
We  remained  some  time  at  the  table,  and  began  to  hope 
that  things  were  going  to  be  better  with  us,  when  we  were 
suddenly  startled  and  shocked  by  sounds  from  the  piano, 
which  was  open  in  the  parlor.  The  lower  bass  key  tolled 
the  death-knell,  solemnly  and  distinctly,  while  we  sat  at 
the  table,  unable  for  a  time  to  stir.  At  length  I  went  into 
the  parlor,  closed  the  piano,  locked  it,  and  took  the  key 
with  me  ;  but  the  sounds  kept  on.  Xo  other  demonstra- 
tions were  made  during  the  night,  but  the  tolling  of  that 
knell  inside  the  locked  piano.  While  this  solemn  sound 
was  made,  they  would  make  no  other  disturbances. 

Calvin  had  not  yet  returned.  The  door-bell  rang,  and 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Post  came  in.  On  hearing  these  sounds  Mr. 
Post  went  for  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Push.  When  Mr.  Bush  came 
li>tened  to  the  solemn  sounds  a  few  minutes,  he  fell 
upon  his  knees  and  prayed  to  God  to  sustain  this  family  if, 
in  his  great  wisdom,  he  had  chosen  them  as  instruments 
through  whom  mankind  should  be  benefited.  Still  the 
dreadful  sounds  continued  until  about  one  o'clock.  Our 
friends  left,  and  we  retired  to  our  sleeping-rooms  to  try 


46  THE  >iissix<;    LINK 


and  rest,  if  possible.  We  seldom  all  slept  at  once,  as  we 
were  sure  to  be  disturbed  by  some  frightful  exhibition,  if 
we  allowed  our  light  to  go  out,  We  were  getting  ready 
for  bed,  when  we  heard  a  wagon  drive  up  to  the  side  gate 
and  a  familiar  voice  say  "Whoa"  to  his  horses.  Mother 
hastened  to  the  door,  and  called  out,  "  Oh !  Stephen,  who 
is  dead  ?  We  have  had  a  terrible  warning  of  death,  all 
night."'  Stephen,  my  sister  Maria's  husband,  replied, 
"  No  one  is  dead,  that  I  know  of.  But  David's  little  Ella 
was  supposed  to  be  dying  when  I  left,  I  have  come  to  take 
you  back  with  me."  lie  fed  his  horses,  rested  a  short  time 
on  the  sofa,  and  about  four  o'clock  started  for  Arcadia, 
with  mother  and  Maggie.  The  sounds  on  the  piano  ceased. 
When  we  received  a  message  from  Arcadia,  it  was  to  this 
effect :  that  dear  little  Ella  was  alive  when  they  reached 
home,  but  died  the  next  day. 

We  had  been  warned,  in  the  spring,  wThen  I  was  there 
in  company  with  Mrs.  Grover  and  Mrs.  Granger,  that  a 
death  would  take  place  in  our  family.  The  words  were 
written  on  a  block  of  wood  corresponding  exactly  with 
those  the  children  had  brought  from  the  new  house  which 
was  being  built  by  my  father,  within  speaking  distance  of 
brother  David's  home.  The  communication,  written  in 
plain  letters  and  thrown  through  the  open  window  in  broad 
daylight,  read  as  follows  :  "  One  of  your  family  will  die. 
She  will  be  happy  with  the  angels ;  mourn  not  for  her." 
I  believed  it  would  be  mother,  as  she  was  so  broken  down 
and  unhappy.  We  feared  that  she  would  not  endure  it 
much  longer. 

The  writing  on  the  block  had  always  troubled  me.  I 
was  in  the  room  when  it  was  thrown  in,  and  knew  that 
no  human  power  could  have  thrown  it  in  at  that  window 
and  escaped  instant  detection. 


IN   MODERN  SPIRITUALISM.  47 


CHAPTER  IV. 

ROCHESTER   {Continued). 

Ventriloquism—"  Proclaim  these  Truths  to  tile  World"— Tiik 
Call  for  the  Alphabet — Voices  est  Raps — God's  Telegraph 

BETWEEN     THE     TWO    WORLDS— An      EVICTION — COMMITTEE     OP 

Five— No  Money  Accepted — Improper  Questions  to  Spir- 
its— ' '  Done  " — Struggle  against  the  ' '  Uncanny  Thing  " — 
Benjamin  Franklin. 

Mother  and  Maggie  returned  in  about  two  weeks  to 
Rochester,  expecting  to  remain  with  us  until  the  new  house 
was  finished.  But  "  a  change  came  over  the  spirit  of  our 
dream."  Things  in  spiritual  matters  grew  from  bad  to 
worse.  Our  kind  friend,  Mrs.  Tick,  had  died  suddenly 
during  mother's  absence,  and  the  family  soon  gave  up  the 
house.  It  was  rented  by  a  new  tenant,  a  diminutive, 
sickly-looking  man  who  could  not  stand  the  "  racket."  His 
wife  complained  to  him,  and  declared  that  she  was  afraid 
to  remain  at  home  with  the  children  while  he  was  absent. 
One  day,  while  they  were  eating  dinner,  they  heard 
knocks  on  their  table.  He  was  furious  in  his  irritation  at 
this,  and  coming  up  to  me  said :  "  You  are  ventriloquists, 
and  I  will  put  a  stop  to  your  doings.  I  will  have  you 
arrested  if  I  ever  hear  any  noises  in  my  house  again."  I 
doubt  if  he  had  finished  eating  his  dinner.  He  was  very 
pale  and  trembled  with  excitement.  My  neighbor,  Mrs. 
Bush,  a  very  intelligent  and  talented  lady,  had  called  on 
me,  and  took  up  the  argument  in  my  behalf  herself.  She 
said  to  him  :  "Inasmuch  as  the  sounds  have  been  in  your 
house)  which  have  disturbed  Leah  all  the  morning,  I 
think,  if  any  one  is  arrested,  you  should  be  the  one." 


48  THE   MISSINft   LINK 

The  Spirits  took  "a  new  cue  "from  this  visit  of  our 
neighbor.  They  seemed  determined  to  take  measures  to 
satisfy  him  that  his  attempt  to  interfere  with,  or  stop  their 
manifestations,  did  not  accomplish  that  object.  They 
were,  apparently,  determined  to  settle  the  question  of  ven- 
triloquism beyond  any  future  doubt.  They  sounded  their 
trumpets  upon  the  house-top.  In  other  words  they  carried 
on  the  manifestations  on  the  very  peak  of  the  roof.  It 
sounded  like  the  frequent  discharge  of  heavy  artillery.  It 
"was  stated  to  us,  the  next  day,  that  the  sounds  were  heard 
a  mile  away.  We  feared  that  the  roof  would  fall  in  upon 
us.  We  all  fell  upon  our  knees  and  prayed  for  protection. 
A\re  were  in  this  position  when  Calvin  returned.  That 
night  the  sounds  continued  until  daylight.  The  furniture 
on  the  second  floor  moved  in  every  direction.  Books  were 
thrown  about  the  room.  The  bureau  in  the  bed-room  was 
moved  so  that  it  blocked  up  the  door.  The  music,  from 
the  parlor,  flew  at  us  while  at  breakfast  in  the  dining- 
room.  We  knew  not  what  to  do.  We  had  been  in  the 
habit  of  conversing  by  putting  direct  questions,  which 
could  be  answered  affirmatively  or  negatively  ;  but  we  did 
not  think  of  getting  the  alphabet,  until  our  dear  friend 
Isaac  Post  came  in.  He  said  to  me,  "  Leah,  why,  don't 
thee  remember  that  thy  brother  David  conversed  with  the 
Ilydesville  Spirits  by  using  the  alphabet  ?  Perhaps  they 
will  explain  what  is  wanted,  if  thee  will  call  the  alphabet 
now."  This  seemed  to  be  exactly  what  they  did  want; 
and  I  asked  the  question,  "  Do  you  want  to  say  something 
to  us?  "  There  was  a  tremendous  rapping  in  answer.  I 
then  commenced  calling  the  alphabet,  letter  by  letter  in 
its  order;  and  the  first  message  we  ever  obtained  in  Roch- 
ester, through  the  Spirits,  was  this  :  "  Dear  friends,  you 
must  proclaim  these  truths  to  the  world.  This  is  the 
dawning  of  a  new  era  ;  and  you  must  not  try  to  conceal  it 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  49 

any  longer.  When  you  do  your  duty,  God  will  protect 
you  ;  and  good  Spirits  will  watch  over  you." 

I  asked  if  the  Spirits  would  give  nie  a  signal  by  which 
I  might  know  when  they  wanted  us  to  use  the  alphabet. 
They  then  spelled,  "  We  will  rap  five  times,  in  quick  suc- 
cession ;  and  you  will  know  whenever  it  is  called  for." 
When  this  was  concluded  there  was  a  tremendous  rapping 
all  over  the  room  ;  and  then  each  one  gave  his  own  dis- 
tinctive signal.  They  have  been  continued  from  that  day 
to  this. 

By  this  .1  mean  that  they  gave  their  several  rappings 
with  such  differences  in  sound  as  to  be  quite  distinct  from 
each  other,  and  almost  as  clearly  recognizable  as  would  be 
their  intonations  of  voice  as  speakers,  or  signatures  as 
writers.  On  the  occasion  here  mentioned  I  think  there 
must  have  been  a  score  of  spirits  who  rapped  one  after  the 
other,  some  on  the  table,  some  on  the  door,  ceiling,  win- 
dows, floor,  etc.  Some  were  loud,  some  low,  some  rapid  and 
some  slower,  and  no  two  of  them  seemed  quite  the  same. 
Many  persons  who  are  familiar  with  these  signals  frequent- 
ly identify  them  by  the  sounds. 

I  soon  received  letters  from  various  places  saying  that 
it  had  been  made  known  through  clairvoyants,  speaking 
mediums  and  seers,  that  the  same  signal  had  been  given  to 
all  mediums. 

Thus  we  see  that  God's  Telegraph*  ante  dated  that  of 
Samuel  F.  B.  Morse. 

This  work  progressed  too  slowly  to  suit  the  Spirits.  We 
could  not  consent  to  let  it  be  publicly  known  that  we  Mere 
having  such  marvellous  disturbances.  So  they  sought  out 
a  new  way  to  coerce  us. 

*  It  opened  up  communication  between  the  two  worlds  of  matter  and 
spirit,  as  that  of  Morse  had  done  between  distant  places  in  the  material 
plane  of  our  life. — Ed. 


50  THE   HISSING  LINK 

One  night  there  was  a  great  uproar  in  the  other  house. 
Loud  rappings  were  heard,  the  little  man's  pillow  was 
jerked  from  under  his  head,  his  wife  nearly  fainted,  his 
children  screamed,  and  he  was  badly  frightened.  lie  could 
stand  it  no  longer.  He  arose  in  the  middle  of  the  night, 
and  called  up  a  party  of  his  church  brethren,  who  went  to 
his  house  and  witnessed  the  demonstrations.  They  then 
went  to  the  office  of  my  landlord  and  got  his  concurrence, 
and  obtained  a  warrant  for  our  removal  from  our  house. 
It  will  be  recollected  that  this  was  Mr.  J.  B.  Bennett,  to 
whom,  when  I  engaged  the  house  of  him,  I  said  I  wanted 
a  new  house  where  no  crime  had  been  committed,  as  I  be- 
lieved the  house  I  lived  in  was  haunted  ;  and  that  he  re- 
plied, "  I  think  you  will  have  no  difficulty  on  that  ac- 
count." Yet  he  at  once  consented  to  our  expulsion  because 
my  little  neighbor  had  heard  the  sounds  in  his  own  house. 
The  warrant  was  served  in  the  morning.  I  immediately 
communicated  with  my  friends,  who  rallied  in  large  num- 
bers, and  before  the  week  was  out,  we  were  all  settled  in 
a  pleasant  little  cottage  on  Troup  Street.  It  was  about 
September  1, 1849,  when  we  moved  into  the  house.  I  can- 
not let  this  opportunity  pass  without  paying  a  tribute  to 
those  dear  friends. 

They  too  were  ridiculed  and  persecuted  at  home  and 
abroad  ;  but  they  stood  firm,  and  defended  the  right,  as 
they  were  fully  convinced  that  it  only  required  time  to 
prove  it  to  the  world.  Many  of  those  precious  souls  have 
passed  to  the  world  beyond,  and  I  know  they  rejoice  in 
Heaven  to-day  over  the  happy  discoveries  they  made,  and 
which  they  tell  us  have  greatly  widened  their  capacity  for 
usefulness  and  enjoyment  in  a  higher  sphere. 

There  was  a  marked  difference  in  the  manifestations 
during  our  meals.  The  rappings  seemed  more  concen- 
trated, and  very  near  us.     The  Spirits  appeared  interested 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  51 

in  much  that  we  were  saving,  and  often  pressed  us  approv- 
ingly with  their  hands.  On  one  occasion  a  Spirit  child 
laid  its  little  hands  on  mine  (not  in  mine),  and  so  long  as 
I  remained  quiet  and  permitted  the  little  angel  to  do  as  it 
wished  to,  without  disturbing  the  conditions  requisite  to 
enable  it  to  come  so  near  me,  there  was  no  shrinking  or 
withdrawal  on  the  part  of  the  Spirit,  who  had  thus  far 
re-entered  this  mundane  sphere  to  prove  to  us,  beyond  a 
doubt,  that  she  still  lived,  and  loved  us.  "We  could  not 
doubt  it.  There  was  no  one  to  deceive  us.  The  Spirit 
was  my  darling  little  sister.  She  pressed  us  with  both 
her  hands,  and  kissed  them  over  and  over  again.  We 
would  close  our  eyes  in  daylight  and  they  would  kiss  us 
naturally  as  in  life.  "We  were  truly  converted,  and  as 
the  dear  old  Methodists  used  to  say,  "  born  again." 

"We  could  then  realize  that  we  had  something  to  live  for, 
something  to  hope  for,  in  that  sacred  hour  when  each 
one  in  our  humble  group  "  lay  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,"  will- 
ing to  be  guided  and  directed  in  the  paths  of  truth  and 
duty.  The  alphabet  was  called  for,  and  the  following 
message  was  given  and  signed  by  our  ever  revered  grand- 
father, known  to  his  family  and  friends  as  a  man  of  en- 
cyclopaedic knowledge,  as  well  as  of  noble  character.  "  You 
need  not  wait  as  I  did  for  that  great  '  change  of  heart ; ' 
but  adopt  the  course  at  once  and  live  up  to  your  highest 
light.     Go  where  that  leads  you." 

k*  My  dear  Children  : — The  time  will  come  when  you 
will  understand  and  appreciate  this  great  dispensation. 
You  must  permit  your  good  friends  to  meet  with  you  and 
Ik >ld  communion  with  their  friends  in  heaven. 

"I  am  your  grandfather, 

"  Jacob  Smith." 


f>2  tup:  missing  link 

This  communication  affected  us  all  deeply  (particularly 
my  mother),  and  brought  our  souls  together  sympatheti- 
cally. AVe  read  it  to  our  visitors.  They  at  once  adopted 
the  plan  of  sitting  around  the  table  with  us.  This  method 
immediately,  as  a  consequence,  placed  the  subject  before 
the  community.  It  was  discussed  everywhere,  both  pub- 
licly and  privately.  Mr.  Isaac  Post's  store  was  beset, 
from  morning  until  night,  with  inquirers  who  were  anxious 
to  visit  us.  As  we  were  situated,  our  friends  felt  a  deli- 
cacy in  bringing  strangers  to  our  house,  except  by  preivous 
arrangement; 

In  a  short  time  the  interest  increased  to  such  a  degree 
that  it  was  thought  advisable  to  form  a  committee  of  live 
in  a  convenient  part  of  the  city,  through  whom  the  rush- 
ing crowd  of  curiosity  seekers  could  be  accommodated. 
The  names  of  this  committee  were  Isaac  Post,  R.  D.  Jones, 
Edward  Jones,  John  Kedzie,  and  Andrew  Clackner.  They 
were  faithful  friends,  who  never  permitted  any  one  to 
visit  us  unattended  by  themselves,  or  some  reliable  person. 
All  through  this,  and,  indeed,  for  the  first  two  years,  we 
scorned  the  idea  of  receiving  money  from  visitors.  TTe 
felt  that  it  would  be  degrading  to  accept  money  for  the 
exhibition  of  spiritualism.  Our  time  and  business  were 
greatly  interfered  with,  and  the  overwhelming  question 
frequently  arose,  "  What  shall  we  do  ?  "We  cannot  endure 
this  much  longer."  But  there  was  a  course  marked  out 
for  us  (unconsciously  to  ourselves)  to  follow.  For  a  time 
we  fancied  things  were  going  on  better,  and  we  felt  en- 
couraged, but  we  little  knew  the  bitter  experience  we 
were  destined  to  pass  through.  Many  of  our  visitors  were 
anxious  to  learn,  through  the  Spirits,  how  to  make  a  fort- 
une. Some  wished  to  know  the  secrets  of  others  ;  some, 
dissatisfied  with  their  domestic  relations,  sought  the  aid  of 
Spirits  to  help  them  out  of  their  difficulty  ;  some  wanted 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  53 

to  know  what  numbers  they  should  buy  in  a  lottery,  to  be 
successful ;  others  would  wish  to  be  advised  in  their  stuck 
speculations. 

To  all  such  questions  ready  responses  were  given,  but 
invariably  ended  in  failures. 

This  order  of  investigation  brought  us  in  rapport  with  an 
entirely  different  class  of  Spirits.  They  had  no  particular 
motive  in  tormenting  us,  but  they  seemed  delighted  to 
lead  us  on,  and  deceive  the  visitors  who  sought  them  in 
such  a  spirit.  But,  when  people  sought  foi;  communica- 
tions of  a  more  elevated  character,  answers  were  given 
accordingly. 

Frequently  our  friends  would  become  so  deeply  inter- 
ested in  their  manifestations  that  they  would  forget  we 
were  mortal  and  needed  time  to  recuperate  our  physical 
strength.  They  did  not  know  that  every  echo,  as  it  came 
through  our  medium  forces,  consumed  a  portion  of  our 
vitality.  The  Spirit  knew  this,  and  would  close  the  seances 
by  spelling  "  done.''  This,  our  friends  would  sometimes 
take  exception  to,  and  complaiu  that  they  should  break  off 
so  abruptly.  "We  could  not  explain,  to  their  satisfaction, 
that  we  were  exhausted  under  the  constant  pressure  of 
mind  and  body.  The  Spirits,  knowing  this,  would  give 
the  signal  "  done.*'  After  this  word  done  was  spelled,  we 
never  obtained  anything  of  an  elevated  character.  "We 
could  get  physical  manifestations,  of  an  independent  char- 
acter, such  as  throwing  things,  and  moving  furniture  in 
different  parts  of  the  house.  Those  manifestations  seldom 
seemed  to  weaken  us,  but  intellectual  communications 
given  through  our  immediate  brain  forces  had  a  weaken- 
ing effect  upon  us  when  continued  too  long. 

A  gentleman  (Dr.  C.  D.  Griswold)  living  in  Batavia 
had  induced  his  minister  (an  Episcopal  clergyman)  to  visit 
us. 


f)4  THE    MISSING    LINK 

They  arrived  late;  and,  after  a  few  questions  Lad  been 
answered,  the  word  ''done"  was  spelled.  They  did  not 
understand  the  meaning  of  this,  and  continued  their  ques- 
tions. Suddenly  a  loud  rapping,  in  a  distant  part  of 
the  room,  spelled  out,  "Why  the  devil  do  you  ask  ques- 
tions after  you  have  been  told  done?  " 

This  was  a  terrible  damper  to  us  all.  The  minister 
stood  aghast,  looking  first  at  one  and  then  at  the  other 
with  astonishment,  as  if  wondering  what  kind  of  creatures 
we  were.  The  friend  who  had  brought  him  was  morti- 
fied in  the  extreme.  They  remained  in  town,  and  called 
on  us  again  the  next  morning.  All  things  were  quiet,  and 
we  sat  down  with  these  two  gentlemen  alone.  The  doc- 
tor asked  this  question,  "Will  the  spirit  of  my  dear  father 
come  and  answer  my  questions  ?  " 

Immediately  the  alphabet  was  called  for,  and  spelled 
out  this  sentence,  "  When  good  Spirits  say  '  done,'  you 
should  not  seek  for  further  communications.  Order  is 
heaven's  first  law,  and  you  should  not  overtax  mediums ; 
for  no  good  Spirit  will  answer,  after  their  guardians  say 
1  done. ' " 

The  doctor  received  the  explanation  favorably,  and  felt 
greatly  relieved  when  he  saw  his  friend,  the  minister,  was 
disposed  to  investigate  further.  With  us  all  was  turmoil 
and  confusion.  When  manifestations  and  communications 
were  consistent,  we  believed  them  to  come  from  good 
Spirits  ;  but  when  they  were  to  the  contrary,  we  condemned 
all  as  evil.  We  had  no  religious  prejudices,  no  motive 
whatever  in  establishing  theories.  We  could  make  no 
satisfactory  explanations  to  the  various  interrogatories, 
made  by  promiscuous  parties  who  were  constantly  in  at- 
tendance. 

Let  me  here  emphasize  the  fact  that  the  general  feel- 
ing of  our  family,  of  all  of  us,  including  Calvin  Brown, 


IX   MODERN-    SPIRITUALISM.  55 


who  was  virtually  one  of  ns,  was  strongly  adverse  to  all  this 
strange  and  uncanny  thing.  AVe  regarded  it  as  a  great 
misfortune,  as  it  was  an  affliction,  which  had  fallen  upon 
us ;  how,  whence  or  why,  we  knew  not.  The  influence  of 
the  surrounding  opinion  of  neighbors,  and  the  country 
round  about,  reacted  upon  us  in  conformation  of  our  own 
natural  and  educational  impressions,  that  the  whole  thing 
was  of  evil  origin,  unnatural,  perplexing,  and  tormenting ; 
while  its  unpopularity  tended  to  cast  a  painful  shadow 
upon  us.  \Ye  resisted  it,  struggled  against  it,  and  con- 
stantly and  earnestly  prayed  for  deliverance  from  it,  even 
while  a  strange  fascination  attached  to  these  marvellous 
manifestations  thus  forced  upon  us,  against  our  will,  by 
invisible  agencies  and  agents  whom  we  could  neither  resist, 
control,  nor  understand.  If  our  will,  earnest  desires  and 
prayers  could  have  prevailed  or  availed,  the  whole  thing 
would  have  ended  then  and  there,  and  the  world  outside 
of  our  little  neighborhood  would  never  have  heard  more 
of  the  Rochester  Rappings,  or  of  the  unfortunate  Fox 
family. 

But  the  movement  was  not  in  our  hands  nor  under  our 
control.  It  had  an  object,  and  we,  as  reluctant  and  humble 
instruments,  were  in  the  hands  of  other  and  higher  wills 
and  forces,  from  whom  it  had  proceeded,  by  whom  it  was 
directed,  and,  so  to  speak,  engineered.  We  have  since 
come  to  understand  that  all  these  events  and  incidents, 
perplexing  and  distressful  as  they  were  to  us,  were  but  the 
birth-throes  of  a  new  truth,  which  was  destined  to  revolu- 
tionize this  world,  and  establish  a  communication  between 
the  here  and  the  hereafter  ;  of  the  Earth  and  of  the 
Spirit. 

And  I  may  here  say  that,  inasmuch  as  Electricity  and 
Magnetism  seem  to  play  some  part  in  the  machinery  of 
this  intercommunication,  it  is  not  surprising  that  the  Spirit 


50  THE   MISSING    LINK 

on  the  other  side  who  seems  to  have  been  the  principal 
initiator,  not  to  say  the  inventor  of  this  new  development 
in  the  evolution  of  Humanity,  was  the  great  man  known  to 
earthly  fame  as  the  father  of  electrical  science,  as  he  was 
one  of  the  great  fathers  of  American  liberty  ;  he  of  whom 
it  has  been  grandly  written  that  he  snatched  the  lightning 
from  the  sky,  and  the  sceptre  from  the  hand  of  the  tyrant : 
the  immortal  Benjamin  Fkanklin. 


IN'   MODERN    SPIRITUALISM.  57 


CHAPTER  V. 

ROCHESTER  {Continued),  November,  1848. 

Lk;ht  Articles  made  Immovable— The  Coffins— Adieu  of  the 
Spirits — Their  Return — First  Steps  toward  Public  Inves- 
tigation— -'Hire  Corinthian  Hall" — First  Committee  op 
Investigation — Second — Third  or  "Infidel"  Committee- 
Behavior  of  a  Great  Dining-table — The  Tar  and  Torpedo 
Mob. 

All  this  could  not  have  gone  on  very  long  in  a  western 
city  (as  it  then  was)  like  Rochester,  with  its  70,000  in- 
habitants, without  leading  to  a  state  of  feeling  and  opinion 
which  made  it  impossible  to  keep  the  matter  confined  to 
the  limited  number  of  persons  who,  from  time  to  time,  got 
access  to  seances  (at  our  house)  held  under  the  auspices  of 
the  committee  of  live  persons  previously  named. 

Mr.  E.  \V.  Capron,  of  Auburn,  had  been  introduced  to 
us  by  friends  of  long  standing.  He  was  at  that  time  a 
sceptic  in  almost  everything  relating  to  immortality,  but 
he  was  an  honest  man,  and  soon  became  thoroughly  con- 
vinced of  the  truth  of .  Spiritualism.  We  still  hoped  to 
suppress  the  manifestations,  and  mother  consented  to  let 
Cathie  go  home  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Capron,  imagining  by 
that  means  to  put  a  stop  to  further  disturbances.  For  a 
few  days  there  seemed  to  be  a  change  for  the  better, 
and  again  mother  thought  she  had  accomplished  her  ob- 
ject ;  but  all  this  while  the  Spirits  had  been  actively  em- 
ployed, as  they  soon  convinced  us  by  more  powerful 
demonstrations  than  ever.  They  had  redoubled  their 
forces  and  paraded  themselves  through  every  part  of  the 


THE   MISSING    LINK 

house,  standing  guard  at  all  the  apertures,  thus  to  prevent 
any  two  of  us  from  coming  near  each  other  to  confer  on 
any  matter,  however  important  we  deemed  it  to  be. 

During  the  winter  of  1849,  scarcely  a  day  passed  that 
we  did  not  have  some  new  and  wonderful  exhibition  of 
the  power  and  intelligence  of  our  strange  visitors.  At 
times  things  would  fly  through  space,  above  our  heads, 
when  there  was  no  human  form  to  be  seen.  The  chairs, 
tables,  and  even  small  articles,  would  suddenly  become  so 
heavy  that  no  strength  that  we  could  exert  could  move 
them.  It  became  a  common  saying  in  our  house  that 
'•  the  Spirits  are  holding  them  down,"  when  we  would 
have  occasion  to  lift  any  light  article  from  one  place  to 
another.  It  was  constantly  repeated  to  us  that  we  had  "  a 
mission  to  perform,"  and  we  were  directed  to  "  make 
ready  for  the  work."  My  mother  declared  that  we  would 
never  yield  to  any  such  directions  again  ;  but  the  Spirits 
said,  "  You  have  been  chosen  to  go  before  the  world  to 
convince  the  sceptical  of  the  great  truth  of  immortality." 
It  was  in  vain  that  we  opposed  to  this  a  strenuous  resist- 
ance, and  argued  that  we  had  already  done  enough,  and 
more  than  should  be  required  of  us.  But  the  constant 
burden  of  their  declaration  was  that  we  must  "  go  forth 
and  do  our  duty." 

At  last  they  resorted  to  more  violent  measures  of  coer- 
cion. One  morning,  on  awaking,  we  found  four  oojfim 
drawn  on  the  kitchen  floor,  of  life-size,  and  correspond- 
ing to  the  different  sizes  of  mother,  myself,  Marga- 
retta,  and  Katie ;  and  after  we  had  washed  them  away, 
we  found  next  morning  the  same  fearful  objects  on  the 
ceiling.  Twice  again  was  this  repeated  in  the  dining- 
room,  so  that  they  came  four  times  in  all.  They  were 
handsomely  and  artistically  drawn  in  black  and  white,  the 
lids  being  thrown  back  to  show  how  beautifully  they  had 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  59 

done  the  work  of  pinking  the  white  linings.  Each  coffin 
had  the  drawing  of  its  plate,  and  on  them  were  perfectly 
and  correctly  written  our  respective  names  and  ages,  while 
beneath  them  was  also  written  in  large  plain  letters:  "If 
you  do  not  go  forth  and  do  your  duty  you  will  soon  be  laid 
in  your  coffins."  We  called  in  our  friends  to  behold  the 
gruesome  sight.  Some  were  superstitious  and  declared 
that  they  would  not  dare  to  disobey  such  biddings ;  but 
we  feared  that  if  we  yielded  to  them,  we  would  become 
subject  to  some  unknown  evil  influences,  so  that  mother 
still  held  out  against  what  did  not  meet  her  approval. 

It  is  impossible  for  me  to  make  ray  reader  understand 
and  realize  the  scenes  we  passed  through.  Crowds  of  in- 
quirers came  to  the  house  at  all  hours  of  the  day  and  even- 
ing. 

The  committee  had  more  than  they  could  attend  to ; 
we  had  no  time  to  attend  to  any  household  duties.  My 
music  pupils  had  all  left,  and  the  question  arose:  "  What 
shall  we  do  ?  How  can  we  live  so  ? "  The  new  house 
was  finished,  and  father  wanted  us  all  to  come  home  ;  but 
the  Spirits  said,  "  Xo,  you  cannot  go  ;  you  must  remain 
here  and  do  your  doty."  After  a  few  brief  messages  to 
friends,  the  Spirits,  in  a  most  impressive  and  solemn  man- 
ner, bade  us  all  good-by,  and  closed  their  manifestations. 
They  made  the  occasion  quite  solemn,  and  the  company 
felt  wholly  deserted  when  they  became  satisfied  that  the 
Spirits  had  taken  their  final  departure.  We  tried,  on  sev- 
eral occasions,  to  get  the  sounds ;  but  could  not.  The 
Spirits  remained  firm  in  their  decision  for  twelve  days. 

Mother  now  deemed  it  advisable  to  return  to  her  home 
(in  Arcadia,  Wayne  County),  as  she  was  much  needed 
there,  and  she  hoped  we  would  no  longer  be  disturbed  by 
Spirits.  Margaretta,  Calvin,  myself,  and  Alfie,  our  good 
servant,  were  alone,  and  the  absence  of  all  manifestations 


60  THE   MISSING   LINK 


«>r  Spiritual  communications  caused  many  a  pang  of  re- 
morse. Often  we  wished  it  were  possible  for  us  to  enjoy 
the  society  of  our  dear  Spirit  friends,  without  being  forced 
into  that  public  notoriety  and  that  constant  collision  with 
a  hostile  world  which  seemed  to  be  involved  in  what  the 
Spirits  called  the  "  duty  "  which  they  were  urging  upon  us. 

While  we  were  thus  in  silent  waiting,  and  had  given 
up  all  hope  of  again  hearing  from  our  Spirit  friends,  Mr. 
Capron,  of  Auburn,  and  Mr.  George  Willets,  of  Rochester, 
called  on  us.  As  we  saw  them  coming,  we  met  them  at 
the  door  and  informed  them  that  the  Spirits  would  not  rap 
for  us  any  more.  They  came  into  the  hall,  saying,  ''Per- 
haps they  will  rap  for  us,  if  not  for  you."  And  so  they 
djd.  They  came  with  the  well-known  joyous  sounds,  all 
over  the  hall,  as  if  they  were  glad  to  meet  us  all  again. 
We  could  not  repress  our  great  satisfaction  at  the  renewal 
of  our  enjoyment,  for  we  now  felt  that  there  had  really 
been  enjoyment  in  it,  however  mingled  with  perplexity 
and  distress.  It  was,  to  us,  like  the  return  of  long  absent 
friends,  whose  value,  while  with  us,  we  had  not  suffi- 
ciently appreciated. 

It  was  during  this  interview  that  the  Spirits  again 
broached  the  subject  of  a  public  investigation.  Directions 
were  given  to  have  the  whole  matter  made  public. 

They  then  detailed  their  plan  to  us  in  a  lengthy  com- 
munication. They  told  us  what  was  reqnired  of  us,  and 
what  they  declared  to  be  our  duty,  as  follows: 

"You  all  have  a  duty  to  perform.  We  want  you  to 
make  the  matter  more  public."  To  this,  Mr.  Capron  re- 
plied that  nothing  but  the  greatest  ridicule  would  be  heaped 
upon  all  who  should  engage  in  such  an  undertaking.  The 
following  message  immediately  came  in  reply,  "  That  will 
be  so  much  the  better.  Your  triumph  will  be  so  much 
the  greater !  "     They  told  Capron  and  Willets,  that  they 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  61 

(the  Spirits)  wanted  them  to  get  up  meetings  for  the  pur- 
pose of  letting  the  publie  know  this  great  truth.  Our 
friends  (C.  and  W.)  said  in  reply  to  this  that  they  had 
families  to  support ;  and  they  could  not  see  how  they  could 
go  before  the  public  with  a  matter  which  must  make  them 
so  decidedly  unpopular  in  the  then  existing  state  of  public 
opinion.  The  Spirits  then  directed  that  we  should  hold 
meetings  at  different  private  houses  ;  and  they  (the  Spirits) 
would  manifest  for  promiscuous  companies.  Meetings 
were  accordingly  held  at  the  residences  of  Messrs.  Willets, 
Post,  Granger,  and  others.  The  Spirits  fulfilled  their 
promises  admirably.  "We  decided  to  leave  the  entire 
movement  to  their  direction.  AVe  felt  powerless  to  act  on 
our  own  judgment.  We  met  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Isaac 
Post  to  talk  over  the  matter,  and  learn  all  we  could  in  re- 
gard to  this  great  step  forced  upon  us  in  a  way  so  contrary 
to  our  own  wishes.  "We  had  not  been  long  in  the  parlor 
before  the  alphabet  was  called  and  spelled,  "  Amy,  thee 
must  invite  sixteen  persons  to  come  here  on  Saturday 
evening,  to  hear  the  Spirit  rappings."  Amy  (Mrs.  Post) 
replied,  "  Why,  I  don't  know  whom  to  invite  to  such  an 
entertainment.  How  can  I  do  so?"  The  rapping  an- 
swered, "I  will  tell  thee:  'Mr.  or  Mrs. :  You  are  in- 
vited by  the  Spirits  to  call  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Isaac  Post 
next  Thursday  evening,  at  eight  o'clock,  to  hear  the  Spirits 
rap.'  "  Amy  said  she  did  not  know  whom  to  invite,  and 
asked  the  Spirits  if  they  would  give  her  the  names.  This 
they  consented  to  do,  and  proceeded  to  spell  out  the  names 
of  persons,  many  of  whom  neither  Mrs.  Post  nor  any  one 
present  knew.  They  were  all  lawyers,  editors,  and  doc- 
tors. It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  book  containing  these 
names  is  lost.  Dr.  Moore  was  the  only  one  named  who  did 
not  come  in  answer  to  the  invitation.  Frederick  Douglass, 
editor  of  The  North  Star,  was  present.     They  met,  as  I 


62  THE   MISSING    LINK 

have  stated,  at  the  house  of  Isaac  Post.  They  listened, 
with  respectful  attention,  to  the  sounds  of  the  rappings. 
A  part  of  the  company  went  into  the  cellar,  and  a  part 
remained  in  the  room  above ;  but  the  rapping  always 
seemed  to  be  on  the  side  opposite  to  the  listeners.  After 
they  had  satisfied  themselves  of  the  reality  of  the  sounds, 
and  that  they  were  not  made  by  us,  they  proposed  to  get 
some  answers  to  questions,  but  the  comment  or  answer  of 
the  Spirits  was,  "  ~No.  We  invited  you  here  to  listen  to 
the  sounds,  and  not  to  get  communications.  Good  night." 
They  did,  however,  make  another  appointment  for  the 
next  Thursday  evening,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  George  Wil- 
lets,  and  again  all  except  Dr.  Moore  came,  with  some  in- 
dividuals added  to  the  number,  and  the  sounds  were  heard 
as  in  the  first  instance.  Again  the  visitors  proposed  to 
get  answers  to  questions ;  but  again  the  reply  was  that 
they  were  only  invited  to  hear  the  sounds. 

This  whole  proceeding,  as  they  informed  us,  was  to  con- 
vince us  that  they  could  rap  sufficiently  loud  to  be  heard 
in  a  public  hall. 

The  Spirits  then  gave  us  their  directions  as  follows : 
"Hire  Corinthian  Hall "  (then  the  largest  hall  in  Rochester). 
Margaretta  and  myself  were  to  go  to  the  hall ;  Mr.  Capron 
was  to  deliver  the  lecture,  in  which  he  was  to  relate  the  com- 
mencement at  Hydesville,  and  the  progress  of  it  up  to  the 
present  time.  Mr.  Willets  was  to  act  as  friend  and  busi- 
ness man,  doorkeeper,  etc.  A  committee  of  five  gentle- 
men was  to  be  appointed  at  each  meeting,  by  the  audience, 
and  instructed  to  report  at  the  commencement  of  the  next 
meeting. 

The  Spirits  who  had  given  the  directions  had  promised 
to  make  the  sounds  so  loud  that  all  in  the  hall  could  hear 
them.  Before  the  meeting  the  following  names  were 
spelled  out,  of  persons  thus  designated  to  sit  on  the  plat- 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  63 

form  with  us:  Hew  A.  Jervia  (Methodist  minister), 
Lyman  Granger  (a  well-known  member  of  the  M.  E. 
Church),  Simeon  Draper  (a  prominent  Methodist),  Mrs. 
Sarah  D.  Fish  (a  member  of  the  Society  of  Friends),  and 
Mrs.  Pierpont.  When  these  names  were  first  spelled  out 
by  the  Spirits  some  of  the  persons  objected  to  thus  going 
forward  in  so  unpopular  a  work,  when  the  Rev.  Mr.  Jervia 
spoke  up  aiid  said,  "  I  know  it  is  true,  and  I'll  face  a 
frowning  world."  His  emphatic  earnestness  awoke  the 
others  who  had  been  named,  and  they  all  consented  to  serve. 
It  should  he  remembered  that  the  most  minute  directions 
were  given  by  the  Spirits,  through  the  use  of  the  alphabet, 
without  suggestions  from  any  one  concerned  in  the  work 
to  be  done.  The  Spirits  told  us,  moreover,  that  this  was 
the  best  way  to  interest  the  public,  and  prepare  them  for 
a  more  general  acceptance  of  Spiritual  Communication  b}' 
the  world  at  large. 

Xotices  were  accordingly  published  in  the  newspapers 
of  the  meeting  to  be  held  in  Corinthian  Hall,  on  the  even- 
ing of  November  1-1, 1848. 

According  to  the  directions  of  the  Spirits,  Margaretta 
and  myself  appeared  at  Corinthian  Hall,  where  a  large 
audience  had  already  assembled  to  witness  the  manifesta- 
tions which  had  excited  so  much  general  curiosity. 

Mr.  Capron,  in  delivering  the  lecture,  depended  more 
upon  his  knowledge  of  the  facts,  as  they  had  then  oc- 
curred, than  on  any  theory  of  his  own,  or  of  others,  in 
regard  to  the  rappings. 

"We  wished  to  have  the  subject  carefully  scrutinized  by 
honest  committees,  and  have  them  report  to  the  public  the 
result  of  their  investigations.  Mr.  Capron  stated  emphat- 
ically that  if  he  could  not  explain  what  it  was,  ho  certainly 
knew  what  it  was  not. 

It  was  also  announced  to  the  audience  that  no  ordinary 


04  THE   MISSING  LINK 

minds  would  he  accepted  on  the  committees.  We  had, 
at  that  early  day,  discovered  that  the  greater  the  intelli- 
gence, the  more  satisfactory  were  the  manifestations.  At 
this  lecture  the  audience  listened  with  very  respectful  at- 
tention. The  editor  of  a  Second  Advent  paper  also 
delivered  his  little  speech,  telling  the  audience  that  the 
sounds  were  spiritual,  he  had  no  doubt ;  but  it  was  the 
spirit  of  the  devil,  and  that  the  persons  in  whose  presence 
the  sounds  were  heard  should  be  cast  into  prison,  lie  said 
his  "little  say,"  and  we  never  heard  of  him  afterward. 

When  this  episode  had  closed,  the  following  gentlemen 
were  named  as  a  Committee  of  Investigation,  and  re- 
quested to  report  the  next  evening,  viz.,  A.  J.  Coombs, 
Daniel  Marsh,  Nathaniel  Clark,  A.  Judson,  and  Edwin 
Jones. 

Thus  the  first  great  step  was  taken,  in  order  to  lay  the 
facts  of  Modern  Spiritualism  before  the  world.  It  was 
now  to  be  tried  in  a  way  by  which  no  guilty  person  could 
hope  to  escape  detection.  Any  one  guilty  of  fraud  as 
great  as  this  would,  have  been,  had  it  consisted  of  simula- 
tion on  our  part,  must  certainly  have  met  with  swift  ex- 
posure, and  been  stripped  of  all  power  or  opportunity  for 
further  mischief.  In  fact,  could  it  be  rationally  appre- 
hended that  we,  or  any  one,  would  have  dared  to  face  an 
adverse  public,  of  a  thronged  city,  and  the  entire  senti- 
ment of  a  world,  against  us,  as  we  had  been  directed  to  do, 
with  nothing  but  a  damning  falsehood  at  our  backs  to  lean 
upon  ? 

The  appointment  of  an  intelligent  committee  was  readily 
agreed  upon  by  the  audience  ;  and  they — most  of  them 
perhaps — felt  confident  that  the  supposed  fraud  would  now 
be  probed  to  the  bottom.  So  sure  seemed  the  editors  of 
the  Rochester  Democrat  that  this  was  "  the  last  of  the 
rappings,"  that  they  wrote  a  long  article  on  the  "  hum- 


IN    MODERN    SPIRITUALISM.  65 

bug  "  which  had  deceived  so  many,  rejoicing  that  the  end 
Mas  near. 

But  when,  on  the  following  evening,  the  Committee 
made  their  report,  the  newspaper  men  were  obliged  to 
substitute  something  else  in  place  of  the  anticipated  de- 
tection and  exposure,  as  the  result  of  their  examination 
did  not  verify  the  theory  of  these  newspaper  quasi-leaders 
and  instructors  of  public  thought.  The  following  was  the 
report  of  the  Committee  : 

"  Without  the  knowledge  of  the  persons  in  whose  pres- 
ence the  manifestations  are  made,  the  Committee  selected 
the  hall  of  the  '  Sons  of  Temperance,'  for  investigation  of 
the  subject  under  consideration.  That  the  sounds,  on  the 
floor  near  where  the  Mediums  stood,  were  heard  as  dis- 
tinctly as  at  the  other  places  ;  and  that  part  of  the  Com- 
mittee heard  the  rapping  on  the  wall  behind  them  ;  that 
a  number  of  questions  were  asked,  which  were  answered 
not  altogether  right  nor  altogether  wrong;  that,  in  the 
afternoon,  they  went  to  the  house  of  a  private  citizen,  and 
while  there,  the  sounds  were  heard  on  the  outside  (appar- 
ently) of  the  front  door,  after  they  had  entered,  and  on 
the  door  of  a  closet.  By  placing  the  hand  upon  the 
door,  there  was  a  sensible  jar  felt  when  the  rapping  was 
heard. 

"  One  of  the  Committee  placed  one  of  his  hands  upon 
the  feet  of  the  ladies,'  and  the  other  on  the  floor,  and 
though  the  feet  were  not  moved,  there  was  a  distinct  jar 
of  the  floor.  On  the  pavement  and  on  the  ground  the 
same  sounds  were  heard ;  a  kind  of  double  rap,  as  of  a 
stroke  and  a  rebound,  was  distinguishable.  When  the 
sisters  were  separated  at  a  distance  from  each  other,  no 
sound  was  heard ;  but  when  a  third  person  was  interposed 
between  them,  the  sounds  were  heard.  The  sisters  seemed 
to  give  every  opportunity  to  the  Committee  to  investigate 


66  THE   MISSING   LINK 

the  case  fully,  and  would  submit  to  a  thorough  investiga- 
tion hv  a  committee  of  ladies,  if  desired.  They  all  agree 
that  the  sounds  were  heard,  but  they  entirely  fail  to  dis- 
cern any  means  by  which  it  could  be  done." 

On  the  following  evening,  each  member  of  the  Commit- 
tee spoke  for  himself,  and  they  all  perfectly  agreed  as  to 
the  facts  stated.  Their  report  was  received  with  surprise 
by  such  of  the  audience  as  had  come  with  the  expectation 
of  having  the  subject  exposed  as  a  fraud,  and  the  rappings 
stopped. 

After  some  further  remarks  by  Mr.  Capron,  and  a  dis- 
cussion of  a  brief  character  upon  the  subject,  another 
Committee  was  appointed  consisting  of  the  following 
gentlemen :  Dr.  H.  H.  Langworthy,  Hon.  Frederick 
Whittlesey,  General  D.  C.  McCallum,  William  Fisher, 
of  Rochester,  and  Hon.  A.  P.  Hascall,  of  LeKoy,  subse- 
quently member  of  Congress. 

At  the  meeting,  on  the  evening  after  this  lecture,  this 
Committee  reported  that  "  They  went  into  the  investiga- 
tion at  the  office  of  Chancellor  Whittlesey,  and  they  heard 
the  sounds  on  the  floor,  on  the  wall,  and  on  the  door ;  that 
the  ladies  were  placed  in  different  positions,  and,  like  the 
other  Committee,  they  were  unable  to  tell  from  what  the 
sounds  proceeded,  or  how  they  were  made  ;  that  Dr.  Lang- 
worthy  made  observations  with  a  stethoscope  to  ascertain 
whether  there  was  any  movement  of  the  lungs,  and  found 
not  the  least  difference  wrhen  the  sounds  were  being  made, 
and  there  was  no  kind  of  probability  or  possibility  of 
their  being  made  by  ventriloquism,  as  some  had  supposed  ; 
and  they  could  not  have  been  made  by  machinery." 

As  this  report  was  read,  there  was  a  murmur  of  dis- 
content, of  baffled  opposition,  and,  in  some  cases,  unmis- 
takable willingness  to  proceed  to  violence  against  all  who 
had  offered  every  opportunity  for  fair  investigation.    Many 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  67 

persons,  among  the  large  Dumber  congregated  there,  were 
disappointed  and  indignant  at  the  discovery  that  it  was 
not  a  cheat.  A  very  large  number  of  people  were  present 
on  this  occasion,  and  a  portion  of  them  seemed  determined 
that  the  cause  of  the  deception,  or  the  manner  of  its  per- 
formance, should  be  ascertained  and  exposed.  They  pre- 
determined that  there  could  be  no  honesty  unless  it  came 
in  their  old  beaten  track  of  belief. 

It  was  during  the  investigation  on  this  second  day,  that 
Chancellor  Whittlesey  informed  me  that  he  was  a  f riend 
to  us.  He  said  to  me :  "  Now,  don't  be  alarmed.  I  am  a 
friend  to  you  and  know  that  these  things  are  true.  I  have 
read  'Davis's  Revelations,'  and  I  believe  fully  that  Spirits 
can  communicate.  You  shall  have  a  fair  investigation." 
This  was  after  very  insulting  and  even  violent  behavior  by 
Dr.  H.  II.  Langworthy  ;  and  it  did  me  a  great  deal  of 
good  to  be  so  assured  by  one  of  the  Committee,  and  one  of 
the  best  of  them  ;  and  also  a  man  who  had  long  been  Vice 
Chancellor  of  the  State  of  New  York ;  and  whom  the 
whole  country  knew  as  one  of  the  wise  men  of  the  time,  a 
neighbor  of  ours  and  known  to  us. 

On  the  third  evening  the  audience  was  much  larger,  and 
a  portion  of  them  seemed  determined  that  at  all  hazards, 
and  cost  what  it  might,  it  should  be  exposed.  Mr.  Warren 
L.  Bnrtis  declared  that  "  those  girls  would  not  have  him 
on  the  Committee  for  a  hundred  dollars  ;  "  intimating  that 
he  was  known  to  possess  unusual  facilities  for  the  detec- 
tion of  fraud.  The  audience  was  not  looking  for  the  proof 
of  facts.  They  constituted  a  large  and  self-chosen  com- 
mittee who  seemed  to  consider  it  their  duty  to  prove  by 
anathemas  the  falsity  of  Spiritualism.  He,  W.  L.  Bnrtis, 
was  at  once  placed  on  the  Committee  ;  and  after  being  so 
appointed,  he  remarked  with  much  importance,  if  he 
"  could  not  find  it  out  he  would  forfeit  a  new  hat."     Mr. 


68  THE   MISSING   LINK 

Kenyon  said,  "If  I  cannot  fathom  the  fraud,  I  will  throw 
myself  over  Genesee  Falls."  lie  too  was  immediately 
placed  on  the  Committee.  All  the  others  chosen  as  mem- 
bers were  equally  opposed  to  us.  The  Committee  con- 
sisted of  Dr.  E.  P.  Langworthy,  Dr.  J.  Gates,  William 
Fitzhogh,  W.  L.  Burtis,  and  L.  Kenyon.  Mr.  Packard,  a 
well-known  cabinet-maker,  suggested  that  if  he  were  cho- 
sen he  would  have  a  party  of  ladies  to  examine  the  cloth- 
ing of  the  girls,  as  he  believed  the  sounds  were  all  made  by 
leaden  balls,  sewed  in  the  bottom  of  their  dresses.  But 
Mr.  Packard  was  not  chosen,  because,  as  before  stated, 
the  occasion  required  the  application  of  the  higher  order 
of  intelligence.  To  this,  however,  no  attention  was  given 
by  him  or  others  excepting  a  significant  smile  of  disappoint- 
ment. The  public  had  by  this  time  learned  that  such 
leaden-ball  sua-gestions  were  not  less  than  absurd. 

OS 

This  Committee  met  at  the  rooms  of  Dr.  Gates,  in  the 
Rochester  House.  This  was  called  the  "  Infidel  Commit- 
tee." The  public  had  heretofore  chosen  persons  of  a  more 
religious  character ;  and  men  representing  the  scientific 
portion  of  the  inhabitants  had  now  concluded  that,  by 
placing  the  subject  in  the  hands  of  scientific  infidels,  they 
would  "  fathom  the  fraud." 

This  party  now  chosen  were  disgusted  by  the  reflection 
that  they  were  to  enter  upon  such  an  undertaking  ;  but 
they  had  been  chosen,  and  would  serve  and  do  their  duty 
to  the  public.  This  Committee  appointed  three  ladies, 
who  took  us  into  a  private  room,  disrobed  and  clothed  us 
with  garments  of  their  own  selection,  after  which  we 
seated  ourselves  around  a  table  ;  but  no  manifestations  of 
any  importance  were  made.  Disappointed  in  not  finding 
any  machinery,  they  had  a  lurking  suspicion  that  we  had 
doffed  it  for  the  occasion. 

They  called  on  the  "  Ghosts  "  to  manifest  themselves  if 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  69 

they  coukl,  but  no  responses  came  to  such  invitations. 
They  now  concluded  it  was  about  dinner-time,  and  said  to 
us,  "  You  can  go  home  and  get  your  dinner.  Perhaps  the 
ghosts  will  be  more  sociable  in  the  afternoon  ;  "  plainly  in- 
timating that  we  could  go  home  and  prepare  ourselves  for 
rapping,  and  that  things  would  be  more  satisfactory  after 
our  return.  It  was  now  my  turn  to  be  the  speaker;  I  told 
them  :  "  No,  we  shall  not  stir  from  this  room  until  the 
time  for  this  investigation  shall  expire  ;  which  will  be  at 
six  o'clock  p.m."  Some  of  the  Committee  exclaimed, 
"  ( iood  for  the  Rappers !  That  looks  like  business. 
Ladies  and  gentlemen,  let  us  have  dinner  in  this  room. 
We  will  give  the  girls  fair  play."  A  sumptuous  dinner 
was  prepared  and  brought  in  to  us,  and  all  took  seats  at 
the  table.  They  taunted  us  in  every  way.  Sometimes 
we  felt  ourselves  forsaken,  and  disposed  to  give  up  in  de- 
spair. Our  friends  were  locked  out,  and  not  permitted  to 
come  into  the  room;  but  we  could  hear  their  faithful 
footsteps  outside  the  door,  in  the  hall  of  the  hotel — Isaac 
and  Amy  Post,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pierpont,  George  Willets, 
and  others.  My  young  sister  Maggie  was  by  my  side, 
bathed  in  tears.  Dr.  Gates  was  carving.  I  was  struggling 
with  a  choking  emotion,  and  could  not  taste  food.  The 
party  were  joking  and  funning  a.t  our  expense,  when,  sud- 
denly the  great  table  began  to  tremble,  and  raised  first  one 
end  and  then  the  other,  with  loud  creaking  sounds,  like  a 
ship  straggling  in  a  heavy  gale,  until  it  was  finally  sus- 
pended above  our  heads. 

For  a  moment  all  were  silent  and  looked  at  each  other 
with  astonishment.  The  waiters  tied  in  every  direction. 
Instantly  the  scene  was  changed.  The  ladies  threw  their 
arms  around  us,  one  after  another  ;  and  it  was  their  turn 
to  cry. 

They  said    to  us:   "Oh,  you  poor  girls,  how   you  have 


70  THE   MISSING   LINK 

been  abused  !  Oh,  how  sorry  we  are  for  you ;  after  all,  it 
Is  true  !  "The  gentlemen  with  one  accord  said,  "  Girls,  you 
have  gained  a  victory.     We  will  stand  by  you  to  the  last." 

Let  it  be  understood  that  this  Committee  of  ladies  and 
gentlemen  took  us  to  the  parlors  of  the  Rochester  House, 
which  could  be  divided  into  two  rooms  by  closing  the  fold- 
ing-doors. After  dinner  the  gentlemen  of  the  Committee 
insulated  the  table  by  putting  glass  under  the  legs,  pro- 
cured two  sacks  of  feathers,  and  advised  the  ladies  how  to 
conduct  the  investigation.  They  then  closed  the  doors, 
and  (the  gentlemen  of  the  Committee  having  retired)  left 
us  and  the  lady  members  of  the  Committee  alone.  By  this 
time  the  Committee  had  become  kindly  disposed  toward 
us.  .  They  suggested  to  us  that  we  should  stand  upon  the 
sacks  of  feathers  on  the  table,  with  our  dresses  tied  tight 
above  our  ankles.  We  complied  with  all  their  suggestions, 
cheerfully.  Immediately  the  sounds  were  heard  on  the 
table,  floor,  and  walls.  The  ladies  instantly  opened  the 
doors,  and  the  gentlemen  came  in  and  witnessed  the  mani- 
festations themselves. 

The  ladies,  at  my  suggestion,  signed  the  following  cer- 
tificate : 

"When  they  were  standing  on  pillows,  with  a  hand- 
kerchief tied  around  the  bottom  of  their  dresses,  tight  to 
their  ankles,  we  all  heard  the  rapping  on  the  table,  on 

the  wall,  and  floor  distinctly. 

"  Mrs.  Stone. 

"Mrs.  J.  Gates. 

"  Miss  M.  P.  Lawrence." 
Before  we  left  the  room,  word  was  sent  to  the  Commit- 
tee, saying,  "  Do  not  go  to  the  Hall  this  evening ;  for  if 
you  report  favorably  to  the  girls  you  will  be  mobbed." 
Our  friends,  who  anticipated  a  riot  and  feared  for  our 
safety,  as  soon  as  we  got  to  the  house  after  this  terrible 


IN  MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  71 


day's  work  and  anxiety,  urged  ns  not  to  go  to  the  Hall. 
But  what  were  we  to  do  ?  Even  the  Committee  were 
threatened  if  it  made  a  favorable  report ;  but  they  all  in- 
formed us  that  they  would  protect  us  in  any  event. 

E.  W.  Capron  and  George  Willets  said,  "  What  are  we 
to  do,  if  you  forsake  us  at  such  a  time  '(  "  Amy  Post  said, 
"  Go,  I  will  go  with  you."  The  Spirits  spelled,  "  Go,  God 
will  protect  you.  You  will  not  be  harmed."  Margaretta 
had  been  so  harassed  during  the  day,  and  had  been  so 
urged  by  some  of  her  friends,  that  she  resolved  not  to  go 
to  the  Hall  that  night.  This  would  have  spoiled  all  our 
success  so  far.  It  would  be  utter  ruin  to  us.  Amy  Post 
(that  darling  little  Quaker  lady),  who  stood  firm  as  a  rock, 
said,  "We  will  go  and  sit  down  by  ourselves,  and  see  how 
we  shall  feel  about  it."'  I  soon  said,  "  Amy,  if  you  will  go, 
I  will  go  with  you,  if  I  go  to  my  death."  Margaretta  did 
not  change  her  mind  until  we  were  preparing  to  go,  when 
she  said,  "  I  cannot  have  you  go  without  me.  I  must  go, 
although  I  expect  we  will  be  killed."  So  we  all  went. 
We  found  the  faithful  friends,  who  were  appointed  to  sit 
on  the  platform,  already  in  their  places.  There  were  but 
few  words  said  by  Mr.  Capron,  as  every  one  was  anxious 
to  hear  the  report  of  the  Committee.  When  it  was  made, 
it  was  more  full  than  any  of  the  others.  It  rehearsed  the 
fact  that  they  had  excluded  from  the  room,  in  which  the 
examination  was  conducted,  all  our  friends,  and  we  were 
left  alone  to  fight  the  battle.  Each  member  of  the  Com- 
mittee reported  separately,  agreeing  with,  and  corroborat- 
ing the  first  statement. 

The  reports  of  the  different  committees  did  not  satisfy 
the  rowdy  element,  which  at  this  time  had  become  a 
howling  mob,  who  were  predetermined  to  assault  us,  and 
also  the  last  Committee,  if  they  did  not  report  against 
us.     They  even   warmed   tar,  and  had  it  concealed   in   a 


72  THE    Missive;    LINK 

closet  at  the  head  of  the  stairway  adjacent  to  the  door  of 
the  Hall.  Some  of  our  friends,  knowing  this,  took  the 
precaution  of  calling  on  the  police.  Our  Committee  was 
informed  of  the  proceedings  of  the  mob,  and  when  we 
separated  at  six  o'clock  and  went  to  Mr.  Post's  to  await 
the  hour  of  meeting  at  the  Hall,  declared  to  us  that  they 
would  stand  by  us,  in  these  words :  "  Never  fear,  girls, 
you  have  gained  the  victory  ;  we  will  stand  by  you  to  the 
last."     And  they  did,  nobly. 

We  were  directed  by  the  Spirits  to  go  forth  and  submit 
to  everything  lawful ;  but  that  the  committees  chosen  by 
the  audience  should  be  composed  of  such  as  represented 
the  best  intelligence  of  the  community. 

Josiah  Bissel  was  the  presiding  genius  of  the  mob.  He 
had  caused  to  be  purchased  some  torpedoes  which  he  dis- 
tributed among  his  rowdy  friends  to  throw  upon  the  floor, 
and  thus  begin  disturbance.  It  had  been  agreed  upon  by 
his  bosom  friends  (the  rowdy  element)  that  he  should  as- 
cend the  platform,  and  with  a  long  heavy  stick,  which  he 
carried  as  a  cane,  give  a  signal  for  the  onslaught.  The 
other  leaders  in  this  mob  were  Lawrence  R.  and  Leonard 
AV.  Jerome,  Alderman  Lewis  Seelye,  Major  Packard,  and 
others,  awaiting  the  signal.  But  no  sooner  was  it  given 
them  than  a  fine,  large,  respectable-looking  gentleman 
sprang  upon  the  platform  and  took  a  seat  between  myself 
and  my  sister,  whose  hand  he  took  in  his.  I  thought,  at 
the  moment,  he  w*as  an  enemy,  and  ordered  him  to  leave, 
and  not  dare  touch  my  sister.  lie  replied,  "  I  am  your 
friend  ;  I  am  the  Chief  of  Police — look,  these  men  in 
front  are  all  my  men ;  and  they  have  come  to  protect 
you." 

At  the  sound  of  the  signal  made  by  Bissel,  the  mob 
rushed  to  the  platform.  Torpedoes  were  heard  in  every 
part  of  the  Hall.     The  Chief  of  Police  quietly  informed 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  73 

Josiah  Bissel  that  if  any  one  was  taken  into  custody  he 
would  be  the  man. 

As  the  mob  began  their  demonstrations,  one  gentleman, 
Mr.  Alfred  Ilubbell,  who  had  been  an  investigator  at  our 
house,  raised  his  hand  and  said  in  a  loud  voice :  "  Girls, 
you  have  nothing  to  fear.  Don't  be  afraid.  I  have  fifty 
good  men  here  all  ready  to  protect  you." 

Mr.  Abelard  Reynolds,  proprietor  of  the  Hall,  was  on 
the  platform,  determined  to  stand  between  us  and  the  mob. 
The  ringleaders  of  the  mob,  followed  by  their  gang,  quickly 
disappeared.  Our  work,  as  planned  by  the  Spirits,  for 
that  time  was  done.  Our  triumph  was  complete.  The 
promises  of  our  Spirit  friends  and  directors  were  all  ful- 
filled. However  they  may  have  allowed  suspicion  to  come 
upon  us,  which  it  was  not  in  their  power  to  prevent,  they 
had  always  brought  us  safe  and  sound  out  of  the  apparent 
difficulty,  and  gained  a  signal  triumph  through  our  humble 
agency. 


74  THE    MISSING    LINK 


CHAPTER   VI. 

MEDIUMISTIC  VEIN  IN  OUR  FAMILY. 

Some  Family  Antecedents— Ocii  Great-grandmother — Phan- 
tom Prophetic  Funerals — Vision  of  a  Tombstone  Ndtk 
Years  in  Advance,  etc 

I  will  here  interrupt  the  course  of  this  narrative  with 
a  chapter  about  our  family,  principally  in  reference  to 
that  peculiar  and  strange  constitutional  something,  which, 
in  lis  three  children  (myself  and  the  two  younger  ones, 
Margaretta  and  Catharine),  has  come  out  so  strongly  into 
what  is  called  "mediumship,"  and  which  would  seem  to 
have  been  the  cause  why  the  "  Spirits,""  whose  instruments 
we  have  been,  chose  us  for  their  purpose,  and  imposed 
upon  us  the  burthen  of  what  they  called  "  the  duty," 
against  which  we  thus  so  long  and  hard,  but  vainly,  strug- 
gled. 

My  parents  were  both  native-born  Americans.  My 
father's  ancestors  were  German  ;  the  name  having  been 
originally  Voss,  which  passed  through  Foss  into  Fox.  In 
my  mother's  family,  French,  English,  and  Dutch  min- 
gled. Her  paternal  grandfather,  John  C.  Smith,  was  of 
English  ancestry.  He  married  Elizabeth  Blauvelt,  of  de- 
scent from  Holland.  Her  paternal  grandfather  was 
French,  Rutan  by  name,  and  her  maternal  grandmother, 
whose  maiden  name  was  Margaret  Ackerman,  was  also  a 
descendant  from  Holland,  and  resided  on  Long  Island 
with  her  parents  until  her  marriage,  after  which  she  re- 
moved to  New  York  City,  where  her  only  child,  my 
grandmother,    was    born.      She    (Margaret    Rutan),    my 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  75 

mother's  maternal  grandmother,  had,  from  childhood, 
evinced  the  power  of  foretelling  events.  She  frequently 
followed  phantom  funerals,  and  entering  the  grave-yard, 
would  stand  and  look  on  until  the  last  rites  had  been  per- 
formed, after  which  she  would  turn  away  sorrowing.  She 
never  felt  timid  until  the  ceremony  was  ended.  Then  she 
would  find  herself  alone,  in  her  normal  condition,  and  re- 
membering all  she  had  seen,  and  knowing  also  what  would 
inevitably  follow,  she  would  be  sadly  depressed. 

On  two  occasions  she  was  prevailed  upon  to  tell  whose 
funeral  she  had  attended  the  previous  night,  which  caused 
her  such  intense  distress  of  mind,  she  besought  them  to 
never  again  urge  her  to  reveal  that  which  was  made  known 
to  her  during  her  somnambulic  walks.  The  moment  the 
person  ceased  to  breathe,  she  would  say,  "Mr.  or  Mrs. 
(whoever  it  might  be)  is  dead." 

If  the  death  had  taken  place  in  a  distant  part  of  the 
country  it  would  make  no  difference,  so  long  as  the  burial 
place  was  there.  She  felt  relieved  as  soon  as  the  event 
transpired.  She  always  visited  the  grave-yard  between 
the  hours  of  twelve  and  two  o'clock  at  night.  My  grand- 
father frequently  walked  slowly  after  her  to  accompany 
her  home  on  her  return. 

Another  remarkable  feature  used  to  attend  these  noc- 
turnal excursions  of  my  great-grandmother,  in  the  somnam- 
bulic condition,  when  she  would  thus  witness  the  celebra- 
tion of  funerals  of  persons  who  were  at  the  time  still  alive 
and  well.  She  would  see  and  recognize  all  the  persons  in 
attendance  on  the  funeral,  from  the  officiating  minister 
down,  and  afterward  remember  and  relate  their  names, 
which  used  always  to  correspond  with  the  fact  as  it  after- 
ward came  about.  She  would  even  tell  by  whose  horses 
the  body  was  brought  to  the  grave  (in  the  country  at  that 
time  there  were  no  regular  hearses,  and  this  service  was 


76  THE   MIB8ING   LINK 

performed  by  Bome  friend  or  neighbor).  When  the 
crowded  phantom  funeral  was  over  she  would  awake  to 
find  herself  alone  in  the  graveyard;  sometimes  with  my 
grandfather  (her  son-in-law)  awaiting  at  a  little  distance  to 
accompany  her  return  home.  But  frequently  she  had  no 
such  watching  attendant,  and  I  remember  to  have  heard  it 
said  how  distressing  it  would  be  for  her  to  awake  entirely 
alone  and  make  her  solitary  way  homeward,  from  what 
she  knew  to  be  the  foreshadowed  interment  of  some  one 
near  and  dear. 

my  aunt  Elizabeth's  vision  of  her  own  tombstone. 

My  mother's  sister,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Higgins,  had  much 
the  same  faculty.  She  never  left  her  bed  at  night  to  visit 
scenes  about  to  transpire,  but  nearly  everything  of  im- 
portance was  foreshadowed  in  her  dreams.  She  would 
frequently  relate  them  on  the  morning  following.  One 
morning,  she  gave  us  a  relation  of  her  dream.  She  said, 
laughingly,  to  her  brother :  "  I  dreamed  I  had  a  fall,  last 
night.  You  and  I  were  riding  on  horseback,  when  sud- 
denly my  horse  stumbled  and  fell  in  front  of  Judge  Perry's 
door.  I  rolled  down  the  little  embankment,  and  Tom 
Foot  came  and  helped  me  up."  Grandmother  said,  "That 
can't  come  true,  for  Tom  is,  by  this  time,  far  away."  They 
thought  no  more  of  it. 

Some  time  after,  her  brother  said  to  her,  "  Bessie,  would 
you  like  to  take  a  ride  with  me  this  morning  ?  "  She  re- 
plied that  she  would,  and  they  soon  started  off,  each  on  a 
spirited  horse,  never  thinking  of  her  dream,  until  the 
horse  stumbled  and  she  fell  and  rolled  down  the  bank,  ex- 
actly in  front  of  Judge  Perry's  door.  Tom  came  out  and 
helped  her  up.  He  had  not  gone  away,  as  he  had  contem- 
plated doing. 

Mr.  Robert  Dale  Owen,  in  his  "  Foot- falls  on  the  Bound- 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  77 

ary  of  Another  World,"  has  given  a  more  detailed  account 
of  her  remarkable  dreams.  I  will  only  add  the  last  Bad 
fultilment  of  a  dream  which  she  had  some  years  previously 
to  its  fulfilment.  She  was  then  in  her  nineteenth  year. 
She  said,  "  I  dreamed  I  was  in  a  new  country,  walking 
alone,  when  suddenly  I  came  to  a  small  cemetery,  and, 
walking  up  to  one  of  the  most  prominent  head-stones,  read 
the  inscription,  which  was  this  : 

IX    MEMORY 
OF 

ELIZABETH  SMITH, 

Wife  Of  II , 

Who  departed  this  life 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord  18 — , 

Aged  27  years,  8  months  and  26  days.* 

She  was  deeply  impressed  by  this  dream,  and  could  not 
rest.  She  left  her  bed,  and  went  into  her  mother's  sleep- 
ing-room, sobbing,  and  related  the  dream.  Her  father 
and  mother  both  endeavored  to  disabuse  her  mind  of  any 
belief  in  this  unhappy  dream.  He  tenderly  folded  her  in 
his  arms  and  quoted  from  Scripture  many  beautiful  say- 
ings, such  as  :  "  Of  that  day  and  hour  knoweth  no  man : 
no,  not  even  the  angels  in  Heaven."  She  was  comforted 
and  seldom  referred  to  her  dream.  The  gentleman  to 
whom  she  was  affianced  died.  Her  father  purchased  a 
home,  and  moved  to  Sodus,  Wayne  County,  X.  Y.,  where 
she  became  acquainted  with  Mr.  C.  Higgins.  They  were 
married,  and  enjoyed  five  years  of  uninterrupted  happi- 
ness. The  time  was  drawing  near  when  she  expected  to 
become  a  mother.     Uncle  Charles  was  a  devoted  husband, 


*  I  am  not  entirely  certain  that  I  rememher  the  number  of  days  with 
distinctness  :   it  is  very  nearly  correct. 


78  THE   MISSING   LINK 

and  regretted  that  duty  called  him  from  home  at  this  time. 
(He  was  engaged  in  Albany  on  public  business.)  He 
could  not  rest ;  lie  must  return  to  his  darling  little  wife, 
and  spend  a  few  days  with  her,  and.  arrange  with  his 
brother,  Dr.  Iliggins,  to  remain  as  a  protector  and  physi- 
cian in  his  house,  until  all  danger  had  passed.  He  came 
(to  her)  unexpected,  and  she  was  delighted  to  see  him. 

The  doctor  came  to  remain  as  long  as  it  was  necessary. 
Her  husband  had  already  overstaid  his  time ;  and,  as  it 
was  important  for  him  to  be  in  Albany,  he  was  obliged  to 
leave.  There  were  many  anxious  hearts  that  feared,  and 
silently  prayed  that  their  hopes  of  happiness  might  be 
realized.  (I  really  do  think  that  she  had  been  reasoned 
out  of  belief  in  that  dream.)  She  rejoiced  and  was  happy 
when  he  promised  her  he  would  never  again  accept  an 
office  which  would  take  him  from  home. 

It  was  a  bright,  lovely  morning.  The  team  stood  wait- 
ing at  the  gate,  to  take  him  to  Newark  (ten  miles),  the 
nearest  point  from  which  he  could  reach  the  canal  packet 
boat,  for  Albany.  Bessie  walked  with  him  to  the  gate 
(about  two  hundred  feet  from  the  door),  where  he  ten- 
derly embraced  her  and  kissed  her  again  and  again,  prom- 
ising that  he  would  refrain  from  leaving  home  on  business 
in  the  future.  He  alluded  in  glowing  terms  to  their  pros- 
pects of  happiness,  in  the  birth  of  their  expected  child, 
and  warned  her  of  the  danger  of  yielding  to  superstition. 
He  begged  her  not  to  repeat  her  dreams,  as  they  were  the 
result  of  a  disordered  condition  of  health.  Then,  taking 
her  in  his  arms,  he  carried  her  back  to  the  house,  saying  •: 
"  My  darling,  I  cannot  part  with  you  here  at  the  gate ; 
permit  me  to  remember  you  as  seated  in  your  pleasant 
room,  surrounded  by  loving  friends,  and  happy  again." 
He  held  her  in  a  long,  fond  embrace,  kissing  her  with 
tears  and  sobs,  and  gently  seating  her  in  her  easy-chair, 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  79 

bade  her  farewell,  and  rushed  to  the  conveyance,  fearing 
to  look  back,  lest  he  should  see  her  weeping  at  the  door. 

She  wept  some  time  after  he  was  gone,  but  soon  felt 
more  cheerful,  and  frequently  repeated  what  he  had  prom- 
ised— that  he  would  never  leave  home  again  after  that 
season. 

A  week  had  passed,  and  a  little  voice  was  heard.  She 
fondly  clasped  her  babe  to  her  breast  and  called  it  "  My 
little  Charles,  my  darling  baby!  Oh !  how  happy  I  am." 
They  were  both  doing  well.  Letters  were  sent  to  her  hus- 
band by  every  mail,  which  were  duly  received  by  him. 
She  wished  the  child  would  resemble  his  father,  who  was 
a  splendid  man  in  every  sense.  She  too  was  perfect  in 
form  and  feature. 

It  was  the  day  on  which  she  had  attained  her  age  of 
twenty-seven  years,  eight  months,  and  twenty-six  days, 
the  age  marled  on,  the  tombstone  she  had  seen  in  her  dream 
of  about  nine  years  before.  All  the  family  knew  of  it, 
though  she  gave  no  sign  of  thinking  of  it,  and  seemed  en- 
tirely cheerful  and  happy. 

The  little  one  was  two  weeks  old ;  a  letter  was  received 
that  morning  saying,  "  I  shall  be  at  home  the  last  of  this 
week.  I  shall  say  farewell  to  Albany."  Words  cannot 
express  her  joy  at  this  unexpected  announcement.  She 
directed  everything,  how  to  dress  the  baby,  and  arranged 
for  them  to  go  after  her  husband's  mother  and  sister,  who 
had  not  seen  the  little  one,  as  they  had  been  absent  on  a 
visit.  They  were  delighted  to  find  Bessie  and  the  baby  so 
well,  and  the  little  Charles  looking  "  so  exactly  like  his 
father,  except  that  he  had  his  mother's  curly  hair."  The 
mother  seemed  perfectly  happy,  but  there  were  anxious 
hearts  that  silently  prayed  to  God  to  avert  the  fearful 
calamity,  which  they  feared  might  now  be  hanging  over 
them.     The  day  was  passing  away.     She  was  well  and 


80  THE   MISSING   LINK 

cheerful.  Her  family  were  near  her,  doing  all  they  could 
to  divert  her  thoughts  from  the  date.  Her  minister,  Rev. 
Mark  Johnson,  and  his  wife  called  to  spend  an  hour  with 
the  family.  She  was  pleased  to  see  them,  and  united  with 
them  in  prayer.  She  called  Mrs.  Johnson  to  see  how 
sweetly  the  infant  nestled  in  her  bosom.  Then,  turning 
to  the  minister  she  said,  "Mr.  Johnson,  we  shall  have  the 
baby  christened  Charles  Smith  lliggins  as  soon  as  his 
father  comes  home." 

The  last  rays  of  the  setting  sun  shone  on  the  tree  tops. 
Once  more  she  called  attention  to  the  child,  smiling  on  it 
the  while  ;  when  suddenly  she  exclaimed,  "  Oh ! "  and 
placed  one  hand  upon  her  breast,  while  with  the  other 
pressing  the  babe  closer  to  her  bosom. 

Mother  caught  her  in  her  arms,  her  sister  Catharine  ran 
to  call  the  doctor  ;  but  before  they  could  enter  the  room, 
her  spirit  had  taken  its  flight  to  the  immortal  world. 

Her  tombstone  now  records  her  dream,  verbatim,  in  the 
old  cemetery  in  Sodus. 

They  directed  letters  to  her  husband  and  friends  in  Al- 
bany, also  sent  letters  to  every  packet-boat  going  east  and 
returning.  (There  were  no  railroads  nor  convenient  tele- 
graph wires  at  that  time.)  They  published  the  sad  news 
in  all  the  papers,  and  sent  them  to  every  place  where  he 
would  be  likely  to  get  them. 

He  left  Albany  on  Thursday,  expecting  to  reach  home 
on  Sunday.  At  Lyons  he  left  the  boat,  thinking  he  could 
reach  home  some  hours  sooner  by  taking  a  private  convey- 
ance, lie  met  an  acquaintance  at  the  hotel,  who  handed 
him  a  paper  containing  a  "  special  notice  "  of  the  sudden 
death  of  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Higgins.  He  saw  no  more,  but 
fell  prostrated  with  overwhelming  grief.  In  vain  they 
tried  to  rouse  him  until  the  reaction  came.  The  funeral 
was  appointed  for  half-past   two  o'clock  p.m.     He   had 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  81 

twenty  miles  to  ride,  and  it  was  nearly  one  o'clock  then  ;  lie 
called  for  a  horse,  and  started  direct  for  the  church,  hop- 
ing to  reach  there  before  the  burial.  A  large  concourse 
had  already  assembled  at  the  house,  which  was  about  two 
miles  distant  from  the  church.  All  were  anxiously  look- 
ing and  waiting  fur  the  absent  one.  The  weather  was  ex- 
tremely warm,  and  they  would  proceed  slowly  ;  so  it  was 
thought  best  to  start.  Several  times  they  halted  on  the 
way.  Every  eye  and  ear  were  strained  to  catch  the  faint- 
est sight  or  sound,  but  all  in  vain.  The  church  was  reached. 
The  mourners  moved  slowly  up  the  aisle.  There  was  not 
a  single  heart  in  that  large  assembly  which  did  not  thrill 
with  sorrowful  emotion.  The  congregation  prayed  in 
silence,  and  sobs  were  heard  in  every  part  of  the  house. 
The  minister  stood  silent  for  a  moment,  then  slowly  and 
distinctly  said — "I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life,  saith 
the  Lord." 

His  voice  was  deep  and  solemn,  and  its  clear  tones 
penetrated  every  heart.  His  eyes  beamed  with  tender- 
ness, as  he  recounted  with  touching  pathos  the  scenes  of 
past  happiness  and  this  sad  reverse.  He  offered  up  peti- 
tions to  the  JMost  High  for  the  bereaved  husband  and 
friends.  After  taking  final  leave  of  those  dearly  loved 
features,  so  soon  to  be  closed  forever  from  our  mortal 
vision,  we  started  for  the  cemetery,  distant  about  a  quarter 
of  a  mile.  Once  more  we  halted.  Ail  hearts  were  high- 
strung  with  the  hope  that  Uncle  Charles  might  yet  arrive; 
a  prayer  was  said,  the  last  sad  offices  were  performed, 
and  the  friends  returned,  with  aching  hearts,  to  their  be- 
reaved home.  Just  as  the  family  Mrere  entering  the  gate- 
way, a  tired,  dusty  rider  came  galloping  at  full  speed.  He 
came  from  the  cemetery,  where  he  had  been  seen  to  throw 
himself  on  the  newly  made  grave,  and  call,  in  the  bitter 
anguish  of   his  soul,   "My  darling,  O,  my  darling,  come 


82  THE   MISSING  LINK 

back  tonic."  (His  sister's  son  witnessed  the  scene.)  It 
was  sad  to  see  his  manly  form  so  bowed  by  sorrow,  lie 
threw  his  anus  around  her  sisters  aiid  held  them  in  a  long 
embrace;  then  calling  for  the  child,  he  clasped  it  to  his 
heart,  crying,  "My  Bessie's  baby!  Oh,  my  darling  child! 
You  are  all  that  is  left  to  me." 

I  cannot  describe  his  grief.  It  can  be  better  imagined, 
than  expressed  in  language. 

PB<  U'lIKTIO    CLAIKVOYAX<  IE, 

Another  story  of  my  great-grandmother,  which  not 
only  exists  in  the  family,  but  which  I  perfectly  remember 
to  have  heard  from  her  own  lips,  illustrates  her  faculty  of 
what  I  may  call  prophetic  clairvoyance. 

She  had  a  friend  and  neighbor,  named  ITrie,  who  had 
a  splendid  team  of  horses,  of  which  he  was  very  fond 
and  proud,  but  which  she  had  often  urged  him  to  get  rid  of, 
assuring  him  that  they  would  cause  his  death  if  he  did 
not.  Her  habitual  manifestations  of  this  faculty  were 
during  her  somnambulic  walks  in  the  middle  hours  of  the 
night ;  but  this  I  am  now  to  relate  occurred  about  noonday, 
when  she  had  not  been  asleep. 

She  was  seated  at  a  window  which  looked  upon  the  road, 
engaged  in  some  work  of  embroidery,  when  she  was  seen 
to  start  up,  rush  out  to  the  road  and  run  at  her  utmost 
speed  about  a  mile,  to  a  spot  where  the  grassy  side  of  the 
road  sloped  up  to  a  fence.  At  this  spot  (followed  by  Mr. 
Frie/s  wife  and  family),  she  ran  up  to  the  fence,  and, 
taking  off  her  apron,  was  seen  to  hold  something,  seem- 
ingly enfolded  in  it,  with  every  indication  of  extreme 
agitation  and  distress.  With  her  hands  clasped  together 
she  was  seen  to  rock  her  body  backward  and  forward  in 
great  distress  over  the  something  apparently  covered  by  the 
apron.     Exactly  one  year  from  that  day  she  did  see  from 


IN   MODERN    SPIRITUALISM.  83 

her  window  Mr.  Urie's  team  running  away  wildly  past  the 
house,  dragging  him  entangled  in  the  lines. 

At  the  precise  spot  where  she  had  stopped  hefore,  now 
lay  his  dead  body,  with  the  bloody  face  so  torn  -and  dis- 
figured that  she  took  off  her  apron  to  cover  it  up  from 
sight. 

My  mother  used  frequently  to  receive  warning  of  an 
approaching  death  in  the  family,  through  a  particular 
dream  (it  was  that  of  dining  with  General  Washington). 
The  recurrence  of  that  dream  always  brought  with  it  great 
distress  to  her  mind,  and  she  used  to  say  (she  was  the  soul 
of  truth  and  all  human  goodness)  that  this  warning  had 
never  failed  her. 

Mueh  more  on  this  subject  of  these  indications  of  ances- 
tral mediumship  running  in  our  family  may  be  found  in 
Mr.  Owen's  "Foot-falls,*'  he  having  taken  particular 
interest  in  inquiring  into  the  aspect  of  the  subject. 

BROTHER   DAVID. 

Besides  ourselves,  who  have  been  brought  so  prominently 
before  the  public,  my  brother  David  and  my  other  sisters 
have  often  given  clear  proofs  of  some  form  or  degree  of 
mediumship.  David  and  his  wife  can,  at  almost  any  time, 
communicate  with  Spirits ;  not  only  by  sitting  at  a  table, 
but  by  together  touching  a  chair,  or  any  other  similar 
object,  the  movements  of  which  will  signal  to  them  the 
letters  of  the  alphabet. 

UNCLE   JOHN. 

My  mother's  only  brother,  John,  was  once  kicked  on  the 
head  by  a  favorite  horse,  which  the  blacksmith  did  not' 
dare  to  shoe,  and  which  his  young  master  once  rashly  at-. 
tempted  to  handle  for  the  purpose.  Uncle  John  was  car- 
ried into  the  hotel  unconscious,  where  he  lay  all  night  in 


84  THE   MISSING   LINK 

that  condition.  About  twelve  o'clock  that  night  his  sister, 
Aunt  Elizabeth  (Mrs.  Higgins),  at  home,  about  thirty  miles 
distant,  both  heard  and  saw  him  walk  across  her  room, 
groaning  in  pain.  As  he  did  not  answer  when  she  spoke 
to  him,  she  supposed  he  had  not  heard  her,  and  she  went 
into  her  grandfather's  room  ;  who,  speaking  first  before 
she  could  do  so,  said,  "  What's  the  matter  with  John?  He 
has  walked  past  my  door  several  times,  holding  his  hand 
to  his  head,  and  looked  into  my  room  ;  but  when  I  spoke, 
he  went  away  without  answering  me." 

The  next  morning  word  came  that  he  M*as  lying,  danger- 
ously injured,  at  the  hotel.  His  father  went  immediately 
to  him,  but  found  him  unconscious  and  unable  to  speak. 
He  "eventually  recovered,  and  declared  that  he  had  been  at 
home  with  the  family  during  the  night  of  his  injury. 

His  grandfather,  John  C.  Smith,  my  great-grandfather, 
English  by  birth,  was  the  one  who  saved  me  when  lost  in 
the  wroods.  (See  the  curious  story  related  on  a  future  page.) 
I  think  he  was  the  very  noblest  and  grandest  man  I  have 
ever  known.  He  was  of  unusual  stature  and  strength,  of 
the  sweetest  temper  and  character,  as  well  as  of  superior 
intellect. 

MR.    COOK'S   DEATH. 

A  party  consisting  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Emerson,  Mr.  Cook 
— an  English  gentleman  and  a  partner  and  intimate  friend 
of  Mr.  Emerson — mother,  her  sister  Catharine,  Ann 
Emerson  and  myself  (we  were  little  girls  at  that  time), 
drove  to  the  "Sand  Hill  burying-ground  "  to  visit  the 
graves  of  our  loved  ones.  Mr.  Cook  and  my  aunt  rode  in 
his  carriage,  while  the  rest  of  us  rode  in  the  family  car- 
riage. They  arrived  a  little  before  we  did,  and  walked  to 
Mr.  E"s.  plot,  where  stooping  he  pulled  up  a  flower  and, 
tossing  it  at  my  beautiful  Aunt  Catharine,  said,  "  I  wonder 


IN  MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  85 


who  will  lie  hero  next?"  After  remaining  a  while  we 
drove  home,  in  Clinton  Street,  Rochester,  where  the  nurse 
was  standing  with  the  babe  Georgie  in  her  arms.  (George 
was  an  uncommonly  lovely  boy,  named  after  Mr.  Cook.) 
When  taking  the  child  in  his  arms  Mr.  Cook  said,  "  O  thou 
angel  boy !  I  must  not  neglect  to  will  thee  thy  dower." 
lie  remained  with  us  through  the  evening  and  bade  us 
good-night.  His  house  was  nearly  a  mile  away.  I  retired 
with  mother  and  her  sister.  I  slept  in  a  trundle-bed  drawn 
from  under  their  large  bed.  Our  family  was  then  board- 
ing there,  father  being  absent  from  home  much  of  the 
time.  It  was  my  habit  to  study  my  lessons  in  bed  before 
going  to  sleep,  in  which  way  I  was  sure  to  remember 
them  in  the  morning  ;  and  as  there  was  to  be  a  school  ex- 
hibition next  day,  it  was  late  before  I  put  out  the  candle, 
when  mother  gave  a  fearful  scream  which  brought  every 
one  to  inquire  the  cause.  At  first  she  declined  to  say  any- 
thing about  it — feeling  very  sure  it  must  have  been  Mr. 
Cook  she  had  seen  ;  and  she  disliked  to  say  anything 
more.  She  however  insisted  upon  having  seen  a  man,  and 
described  him  as  resting  upon  his  hands  on  the  bed,  bend- 
ing over  her  sister  Catharine,  and  looking  her  in  the  face; 
she  recognized  the  man  to  be  Mr.  Cook.  They  tried  to 
impress  her  with  the  belief  that  it  was  a  dream,  but  she 
knew  she  had  not  slept.  ' 

Early  next  morning  a  messenger  woke  up  the  household, 
and  announced  that  Mr.  Cook  had  dropped  dead  in  the 
mill  at  G  a.m.  He  and  Mr.  Emerson  were  the  wealthy 
owners  of  the  principal  flouring  mills  on  the  Genesee 
River,  at  Rochester. 

Mr.  Cook's  body  was  buried  at  the  spot  from  which  he 
had  plucked  the  flower. 

Mr.  Cook  was  no  doubt  sleeping  quietly  at  the  time 
they  were  searching  the  house  to  find  the  apparition  just 


86  THE  MISSING   LINK 

before  the  midnight  hour,  as  he  said  to  his  foreman  on  en- 
tering the  mill,  in  reply  to  his  morning  salutation,  "  I  am 
well,  and  I  think  I  slept  too  well,  as  I  intended  to  be  here 
at  five  o'clock."  He  walked  a  moment  longer  and  fell,  to 
rise  no  more. 

STRANGE    OCCURRENCES    PRIOR   TO    GRANDFATHER'S   DEATH. 

My  sister  Maria  (Mrs.  Smith)  from  her  childhood  has, 
at  certain  times,  been  able,  by  gently  touching  her  fingers 
to  the  lightest  of  tables,  to  make  it  impossible  for  a  strong 
man  to  lift  it  from  the  spot  without  danger  of  breaking  it. 

My  sister,  Mrs.  Osterhout,  was  also  remarkable  for  in- 
tuitive knowledge,  dreams,  and  visions.  Some  fifteen  or 
sixteen  years  ago  some  singular  manifestations  occurred 
around  the  lingering  death-bed  of  her  husband.  About  a 
week  before  his  death  my  sister  was  called  off  to  a  room 
in  the  house,  five  rooms  distant  from  the  one  he  occupied, 
where  some  sewing  women  were  at  wo*k,  really  in  prep- 
aration for  his  fast-Hearing  end.  On  her  return  he  told 
her  he  had  heard  all  the  directions  she  had  been  giving, 

©  ©" 

and  repeated  them  to  her.  The  following  extract  is  from 
a  letter  from  my  niece  Helen,  one  of  his  children.  It 
speaks  for  itself : 

"  A  few  days  afterward  we  were  all  in  the  room,  and  he 
said,  '  Do  you  see  ? '  We  all  looked  in  the  same  direction 
he  was  looking,  and  saw  a  coffin  being  carried  out  of  the 
house.  I  shall  never  forget  the  look  he  gave  us  ;  Emma, 
Ben,  Nannie,  and  myself  were  in  the  room.  We  all  saw 
it.  Three  days  before  he  died  the  boys  were  in  the  barn. 
It  being  Sunday,  we  were  busy  doing  the  morning  work, 
when  wTe  were  startled  by  what  we  thought  to  be  the  re- 
port of  a  gun.  A  second  time  we  heard  the  same  report. 
Father  said,  '  The  boys  have  got  the  gun  in  the  barn,'  and 
wanted  them  to  be  called  into  the  house  ;  but  they  had 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  87 

heard  the  second  report,  which  they  thought  was  in  the 
house,  and  came  in  to  see  what  was  the  matter.  We  were 
now  all  gathered  in  father's  room,  when  a  third  report 
sounded  still  louder  and  seemed  to  be  in  the  same  room 
with  us.  Mother  Mas  very  much  affected,  and  father  said, 
'  Don't  be  frightened,  my  darling,  it  is  only  a  warning  of 
the  near  approach  of  my  death.'  There  were  a  great 
many  things  at  that  time  transpiring  which  were  very 
mysterious.  Lights  were  seen  in  the  house  and  door-yard, 
barn,  etc.,  which  could  not  be  accounted  for ;  and  sounds 
were  heard  as  of  sawing,  driving  of  nails,  etc." 

MY    OWN    CHILDKEN. 

All  my  children  grew  up  into  Spiritualism  naturally. 
Lillie,  once,  while  lying  awake  in  bed  with  her  sister 
Lizzie,  the  gas  being  at  half-light,  saw  a  lady  standing  in 
the  corner  of  the  room  who  then  walked  about  it,  passed 
out,  and  then  re-entered  it.  She  wore  a  dress  resembling 
her  sister's  wrapper,  with  its  peculiar  large  flowered  pat- 
tern. The  bed  being  a  wide  one,  she  was  not  in  contact 
with  her  sister,  and  supposed  the  figure  to  be  Lizzie,  and 
called  to  her  to  ask  what  she  was  about,  but  she  perceived 
that  it  was  not  her  sister,  who  was  asleep  by  her  side,  and 
whom  she  waked.  They  turned  up  the  light,  and  the 
figure  was  no  more  there.  Both  were  frightened,  and 
kept  the  light  burning  brightly  for  the  rest  of  the  night. 

Lillie  used  often  to  say  to  me,  "  Mamma,  put  out  the 
light.  My  guardian  Spirit  will  take  care  of  me."  She 
had  no  fear  of  them.  Georgie,  on  the  contrary,  was  some- 
what afraid,  and  would  say,  "  Leave  a  little  light,  mamma, 
'cause  the  Spirits  are  rapping."  Leah  would  come  flying 
down-stairs,  pale  and  almost  breathless,  at  the  least  indica- 
tion of  the  presence  of  Spirits.  Still  they  all  knew  and 
believed  in  them,  and  loved  to  sit  in  dark  circles  in  our 


88  THE   MISSING   LINK 


family  alone  and  witness  the  different  forms   of   mani- 
festations. 

Lillie  has  an  abnormal  faculty  which  often  gives  enter- 
tainment to  her  friends.  She  goes  out.  of  the  room,  and 
any  member  of  the  company  may  hide  any  small  object 
wherever  he  may  please — such  as  a  key  or  coin  or  anything 
convenient.  All  the  rest  of  the  company  are  requested  to 
fix  their  thoughts  on  the  object  and  its  place  of  conceal- 
ment, while  careful  not  to  do  or  say  anything  to  suggest 
a  clue.  On  her  entrance  she  takes  his  hand  and  applies  it 
to  her  forehead,  still  holding  on  to  it  and  keeping  her  eyes 
shut.  She  will  then  lead  him  to  the  spot  where  it  is  con- 
cealed. She  moves  by  starts,  he  accompanying  her  pas- 
sively.    She  very  rarely  fails  to  lind  the  article  concealed. 

MUSICAL    MEDIUMSITIP. 

I  might  tell  much  of  the  indications  of  the  mediumistic 
character  which  have  run  through  the  children  of  the  gen- 
eration following  our  own  ;  that  is  to  say,  those  of  my 
brother  and  sisters  and  myself,  including  my  nephew's 
little  son  of  five  years,  who  plays  on  a  child's  harmonica 
with  astonishing  accuracy  and  beauty,  accompanying  any 
musical  performance  and  following  every  variation  with 
whatever  rapidity,  with  his  face  kindled  with  excitement 
and  delight ;  the  whole  being  spontaneous,  without  ever 
having  had  any  instruction.  lie  is  (I  have  no  doubt)  a 
musical  medium,  of  whom  the  wrorld  has  seen  several  ; 
the  most  remarkable  one  being  the  idiot  boy  known  as 
"Blind  Tom."  It  is  indeed  evident  enough  that  this 
mysterious  gift,  or  whatever  it  may  be  called,  is  not  destined 
to  die  out  with  the  present  generation. 

The  next  instance  of  mediumship  in  the  generation  suc- 
ceeding ourselves  is  such  as  to  merit  a  chapter  to  itself. 


IN'    MiiDKlIX    SPIRITUALISM.  89 


CHAPTER  VII. 

MEDITJMISTIC  VEIN  IN  OUR  FAMILY    (Continual). 

MARVELLOUS    WRITING    BY    A    BABY    MEDIUM. 

But  I  must  mention  more  particularly  the  case  of  my 
little  nephew,  the  elder  of  the  two  children  of  my  sister 
Katie,  now  Airs.  Jencken  (pronounced  Yencken  )  ;  for  I 
have  now  before  me  two  pieces  of  writing  actually  executed 
by  his  baby  fingers.  The  story  of  the  incident  is  as  follows  : 

Katie  and  I  were  sitting  at  the  billiard  table,  which  then 
occupied  the  middle  of  our  library,  with  the  child  in  my 
lap ;  while  his  mother,  at  my  side,  was  relating  some  of 
the  incidents  of  the  day.  (She  had  been  calling  on  old 
friends.)  The  child  being  troublesome  in  his  movements 
and  cries,  his  mother,  to  quiet  him,  gave  him  the  paper 
and  pencil  (it  was  a  piece  of  white  blotting  paper,  not 
much  inked  by  use),  as  the  child  was  fond  of  scratching 
lines  and  marks.  She  said,  "  There  !  take  that,  and  keep 
still."  He  dropped  the  paper  once  or  twice,  and  I  picked  it 
up  and  held  one  end  of  it,  he  holding  the  other ;  and  with 
his  disengaged  hand  I  noticed  that  he  was  not  making 
mere  marks  and  scratches,  but  that  he  was  actually  forming 
letters,  and  I  exclaimed,  "  Why,  Katie,  he  is  writing!" 

"  I  shouldn't  be  surprised,"1  was  her  answer.  \Ve  watched 
the  process,  as  his  dear  little  fingers  were  guided  to  com- 
plete, in  somewhat  straggling  letters,  though  perfectly  dis- 
tinct, "  Grandma  is  here.  Boysie."  It  is  not  strong  nor 
dark  enough  to  be  reproduced  in  photography,  but  any  re- 
spectable inquirer  is  welcome  to  inspection  of  the  sentence 
written  by  the  child,  then  one  year  old.     His  father  had 


90  THE   MISSING   LINK 

been  delighted,  at  his  birth,  with  the  appearance  of  so 
beautiful  a  child;  and  his  baptismal  name  was  Ferdinand 
Lowenstein  Diedrick.  llispet  name  was  "  Boysie."  The 
extent  of  his  baby  vocabulary  at  that  time  was  "  papa  " 
and  "  mamma."  My  late  brother-in-law,  Mr.  Jencken,  was 
a  highly  respected  barrister  in  London.  He  was  promi- 
nent in  the  labors  of  the  "Society  for  the  Codification  of 
International  Law,''  of  which  the  well-known  David  Dud- 
ley Field  is  President ;  who  lias  said  of  him  that  not  half 
a  dozen  men  in  all  Europe  could  compete  with  him. 

Besides  the  above-mentioned  writing  actually  executed 
by  this  wonderful  medium  baby  of  about  a  year  old,  which 
I  have  in  my  possession,  and  of  which  I  regret  that  it  can- 
not be  photographed,  I  have  before  me  also  a  photographic 
copy,  of  carte  de  visiie  size  (sent  me  by  Mr.  Jencken),  of  a 
piece  of  writing  executed  by  his  infant  fingers  at  the  age 
of  five  months  and  eighteen  clays  (of  course  controlled  by 
Spirit  power),  in  these  words :  /  love  this  little  boy.  God 
bless  his  mama.  J.  B.  F.  And  below,  lam  hapjiy  (the  last 
syllable  of  "happy"  being  scrawled  very  indistinctly). 
Below  it  is  the  following  attestation  by  Mr.  Jencken's 
hand :  "  Written  by  the  infant  boy  of  Mrs.  Jencken  on 
the  11th  March,  1S71,  aged  five  months  and  eighteen  days. 
Mr.  Jencken,  Mrs.  Jencken,  and  nurse  present." 

On  the  rear  of  the  card,  in  the  hand  of  Mr.  Jencken 
(and  in  that  of  my  sister,  Katie,  for  her  signature),  is  the 
further  attestation  :  "  The  writing  on  the  other  side  of 
this  leaf  was  written  by  our  infant  child,  aged  five  months 
and  eighteen  days,  in  our  presence,  in  a  clear  light,  the 
pencil  having  been  placed  in  the  baby's  hand  by  an  in- 
visible agency. — London,  11th  March,  lSTi.  (Signed)  H. 
D.  Jencken.     (Signed)  K.  F.  Jencken." 

On  the  opposite  page  will  be  found  lithographic  copies  of 
the  two  sides  of  the  card  above  described. 


IX    MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  91 


^/tortftc 


J^/fr»ffa 


&n/ 


\)2  TIIK    MISSING    LINK 

Among  my  loose  papers  I  find  a  newspaper  article  from 
the  London  Spiritualist  of  December  L2,  ls7-">,  respecting 
this  extraordinary  child: 

"Mediumshtp  of  a  Baby. — II.  D.  Jencken,  B&mster-at- 
Law,  of  53  Brompton-Crescent,  Brompton,  has  had  further 
disturbances  in  his  house,  in  consequence  of  the  niedium- 
ship  of  his  little  boy,  aged  two  months. 

"  Last  Friday  Mr.  Jencken  and  Mrs.  Jencken  (Kate  Fox) 
went  to  the  great  scientific  soiree  at  the  ( Irystal  Palace, 
and  that  -same  evening,  about  nine  o'clock,  their  house- 
maid, Elizabeth,  went  rip-stairs  to  the  front  drawing-room 
to  turn  down  the  gas  burners.  As  she  approached  the 
door  she  saw  its  handle  turn  round  and  she  cried  out, 
'Who  is  that?'  The  door  then  opened,  and  a  veiled 
figure  looked  out  at  her.  She  only  saw  a  part  of  the  face, 
because  the  white  drapery  about  it  hid  the  rest,  and  she 
fancied  that  the  eyes  had  an  evil  look.  She  ran  down- 
stairs and  gave  the  alarm  to  the  cook  and  sempstress,  say- 
ing that  she  thought  thieves  were  in  the  house. 

"  Just  after  this  occurred  on  the  first  floor,  the  nurse, 
Mrs.  Macarthy,  who  was  watching  the  baby  in  a  room 
near  the  top  of  the  house,  heard  footsteps  outside;  the 
door  gently  opened,  and  a  short  woman,  young  and  pleas- 
ant-looking, robed  in  white,  entered,  and  returned  quickly, 
twice.  At  first  the  nurse  thought  that  a  joke  was  being 
played  upon  her ;  but,  upon  searching  the  adjoining  room 
and  landing,  she  could  not  find  anybody.  She  then  went 
down-stairs  and  joined  the  three  servants  below,  who  had 
previously  heard  footsteps  going  up-stairs  from  the  draw- 
ing-room to  the  nursery. 

"  The  cook  then  went  for  a  policeman,  and  the  other  three 
servants  went  up  to  the  nursery,  where  they  heard  rapping 
noises  and  voices;  the  latter  were  not  sufficiently  distinct 
to  be  intelligible.     They  also  heard  footsteps  going  right 


IN   MODEIIN   SPIRITUALISM.  93 

up  to  the  top  of  the  house.  When  the  police  arrived  they 
searched  the  house  and  found  nothing.  Just  as  they  were 
going  away,  some  footsteps  followed  them  down  the  stairs. 
One  of  the  policemen  turned  round  and  said  that  the 
noises  must  be  caused  by  a  ghost. 

'•  Three  days  previously  the  housemaid  had  seen  a  fig- 
ure in  the  drawing-room.  It  suddenly  disappeared.  This 
form,  she  said,  was  covered  with  a  shawl,  like  that  worn 
by  Mrs.  Jencken  before  she  left  the  house.  Was  it  Mrs. 
Jencken'a  '  double,'  present  there  in  consequence  of  her 
constant  thoughts  about  the  baby  ? 

"  The  nurse  says  she  has  seen  hands  making  passes  over 
the  baby,  and  has  heard  raps  at  the  head  of  the  child's 
bedstead,  and  once  the  pillow  was  pressed  down  by  an 
unseen  hand.  On  another  occasion,  a  gold  ring  was  seen 
knocking  against  the  iron  rail  at  the  head  of  the  bedstead. 
Last  Sunday  we  questioned  the  nurse  and  housemaid  on 
all  these  points.  They  were  in  a  very  nervous  state  about 
the  whole  matter,  and  evidently  deeply  impressed  by  the 
circumstances,  since  they  knew  nothing  about  Spiritualism, 
until  these  phenomena  forced  themselves  upon  their  at- 
tention. 

"  Mr.  Jencken  tells  us  that  a  few  days  ago,  about  six 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  while  it  was  yet  dark,  Mrs.  Jen- 
cken brought  the  child  to  him.  A  strong  light  streamed 
from  both  the  eyes  of  the  baby,  and  illuminated  its  face, 
and  raps  said,  eWe  are  looking  at  you  through  the  eyes 
of  the  baby.'  When  Mr.  Jencken  stated  this,  we  called 
his  attention  to  the  circumstance  that  a  similar  thing  had 
occurred  in  connection  with  the  mediumship  of  Sweden- 
borg,  whose  eyes  shone  for  a  time  with  such  lustre,  as  to 
frighten  some  persons  who  unexpectedly  entered  his  room. 
In  that  case  also,  the  Spirits  said  that  they  were  looking 
through   his  eves.     On   several   occasions   recently,  while 


94  THE   MISSING   LINK 

we  have  been  present  at  seances  at  Mr.  Jencken's  house, 
footsteps  have  been  heard  outside,  and  the  rustling  of  a 
dress  against  the  door.  On  quickly  opening  the  door,  no 
body  was  there. 

"Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jencken  leave  town  for  Brighton  next 
Monday." 

For  a  further  specimen  of  Spirit  writing  executed  by  the 
fingers  of  this  marvellous  infant,  the  reader  is  referred  to 
page  550  of  Mrs.  E.  Ilardinge  Britten's  recent  great  work, 
entitled  "  Nineteenth  Century  Miracles."  The  writing  in 
this  case  was,  "  I  love  this  little  child  God  bless  him  advise 
It  is  f< (titer  to  (jo  hack  to  London  on  Monday  by  all  mea?is. 
Susan."  The  attesting  witnesses  are,  I.  Wason,  K.  F. 
Jeucken,  E.  Buffum,  New  Church  College,  Devonshire 
Street,  Islington,  London,  and  the  +  mark  of  Mrs.  Mc- 
Carthy, the  nurse  who  held  the  child. 

From  a  letter  from  Mr.  Jencken  I  know  that  this  advice 
to  him  "  to  go  back  to  London  on.  J/onday  by  all  means  "  was 
good  counsel.  It  proved  that  his  presence  there  was  nec- 
essary for  important  business.  Mrs.  Britten's  book  (p. 
550)  gives  a  facsimile  of  this  communication  as  written  by 
Spirit  power  through  the  tiny  fingers  of  a  baby.  My 
sister  wrote  me  at  the  time  a  long  letter  about  it,  full  of 
anxiety  lest  so  wonderful  a  child  could  not  be  expected  to 
grow  up  to  health.  Its  correctness  is  therefore  unimpeach- 
able. But  I  must  add  that  the  letter-press  at  the  bottom, 
in  which  the  age  of  the  infant  is  given  as  "nine  days,"  is 
a  manifest  mistake,  probably  typographical.  It  is  quite 
sufficient  that  his  age  connted  by  months.  As  a  human 
achievement  by  such  baby  fingers,  it  would  be  incredible  ; 
as  the  act  of  a  Spirit  employing  those  of  a  remarkable  baby 
medium,  it  is  simple  enough  to  the  apprehension  of  any 
experienced  Spiritualist. 

AY  hat  future  awaits  this  child  remains  to  be  seen.     The 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  95 

house  of  his  parents  used  for  a  time  to  be  overrun  by  peo- 
ple of  rank  too  high  to  be  i^in  that  country)  refused  admit- 
tance, who  wanted  to  see  some  specimens  of  his  mediuni- 
istic  manifestations  ;  until  his  parents  wisely  determined 
to  break  it  all  off,  and  not  allow  any  exercise  of  his  powers 
in  that  line  to  be  indulged  in,  till  he  shall  have  reached  the 
age  of  adult  physical  development  in  health  and  strength. 
The  child  is  now  about  ten  years  of  age,  and,  1  rejoice 
to  say,  healthy,  active,  and  bright,  as  well  as  beautiful ; — 
and  further  that  his  parents  have  kept  him  entirely  aloof 
from  mediumship — to  which  course  I  strongly  advised 
them. 

OUR   MOTHER   AND   FATHER. 

Our  dear  mother  (who  passed  from  this  life  to  the  next 
on  the  3d  August,  1865)  was  a  woman  of  sound  intellect, 
gentle  disposition,  very  charitable,  and  just  to  ever}'-  one. 
She  had  great  power  of  discrimination,  and  seldom  failed 
in  her  estimate  of  character.  Her  portrait  looks  down 
upon  me  from  our  parlor  wall ;  and  when  I  look  up  into 
her  blessed  face,  my  first  impulse  is  to  fall  upon  my  knees 
and  thank  my  God  that  I  have  had  such  a  mother. 

Robert  Dale  Owen  was  one  day  sitting  in  the  back  par- 
lor, engaged  in  writing.  He  remained  with  us  three 
months,  at  my  husband's  invitation,  while  writing  his 
"  Foot-falls  on  the  Boundary  of  Another  World."  He  sat 
at  equal  distance  from  mother  and  her  portrait,  alternately 
looking  from  one  to  the  other.  As  I  stepped  in  the  door, 
he  turned  to  me  and  said,  "  Mrs.  Underbill,  if  that  were 
the  portrait  of  my  mother,  and  she  were  living,  as  yours 
now  is,  and  could  sit  for  another  every  day,  I  would  not 
take  a  thousand  dollars  for  it.  I  never  saw  a  portrait  so 
perfectly  correct  in  my  life,  and  I  doubt  if  you  could  ever 
get  another  so  perfect." 


96  THE   MISSING  LINK 

Our  father  was  not  as  well  known  to  the  public.  Situ- 
ated as  we  weir,  our  parents  concluded  that,  as  we  were 
compelled  to  travel  and  submit  to  all  investigations 
necessary  to  establish  a  new  truth  (for  new  it  was,  to  us), 
or  to  submit  to,  or  rest  under  the  condemnation  of  the 
world  at  large,  we  must  of  necessity  have  suitable  com- 
panions. Therefore  it  was  decided  that  mother  and  Cal- 
vin should  go  wherever  we  went. 

Our  father  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
(  luirch,  and  was  a  class  leader  at  the  time  of  his  death  (on 
the  10th  January,  1865).  One  Sunday  morning  he  was 
ready  to  go  to  church  and  stood  in  the  library,  waiting  for 
my  husband,  who  was  going  with  him.  I  stood  beside  him 
when  suddenly  the  signal  for  the  alphabet  was  given.  I 
repeated  the  letters,  and  the  Spirit  said,  "My  dear  son, 
it  is  a  pleasure  to  me  to  attend  you  to  the  church.  I  al- 
ways go  with  you  there." 

His  chest  heaved,  and  with  tears  in  his  eyes  he  said, 
"  Are  you  the  Spirit  of  my  dear  mother  now  speaking  to 
me?"  The  answer  was,  "  Yes,  I  am  your  mother  Catha- 
rine." He  then  asked,  "  Is  my  father  here  too?"  Answer. 
k>  Yes,  my  dear  son.  1  bless  you  this  morning.  We  shall 
all  be  together  in  Heaven  soon.  "  David." 

I  asked  him,  "  Do  you  think  the  Methodists  would 
approve  of  this  if  you  were  to  read  it  to  them  ?  "  He  re- 
plied, "  It  would  matter  little  to  me  whether  they  did  or 
not.  I  not  only  believe  it  but  I  know  it  is  true,  and  the 
time  will  come  when  they  will  all  believe  it." 

Mr.  Underbill  then  went  with  him  to  church,  and  when 
they  returned  he  said  to  me  (holding  up  the  little  message 
in  his  hand),  "  This,  to  me,  is  far  stronger  proof  of  a 
glorious  immortality  than  all  the  preachers  on  earth  could 
give  me." 

Mother   was   also  a   member  of   the   same   church   in 


IN    MODEKN   SPIRITUALISM.  97 

Rochester  in  1S49.  She  was  officially  waited  upon  in  Arca- 
dia by  a  very  young  preacher  (hardly  twenty  years  of  age 
in  appearance)  who  had,  evidently,  but  little  experience  in 
the  office  to  which  he  had  been  specially  catted  to  save 
souls,  lie  introduced  himself  as  the  "  servant  of  the  Lord," 
and,  walking  up  to  mother,  said,  "This  is  sister  Fox,  I 
suppose  ? "  Mother  replied,  "  I  am  Mrs.  Fox."  "  Well, 
Mrs.  Fox,  there  is  a  complaint  against  you  for  counte- 
nancing your  children  in  carrying  on  a  wicked  deception. 
It  is  calculated  to  do  much  harm,  and  it  is  contrary  to  the 
religion  of  the  Bible.''  He  urged  her  to  make  her  confes- 
sion before  the  church,  and  cause  her  children  to  discon- 
tinue their  unholy  pursuit,  and  she  could  remain  in  good 
standing  in  the  church.  This  little  man  was  a  circuit 
preacher,  and  we  suppose  had  taken  upon  himself  to  do 
the  Lord's  work,  in  his  own  way,  as  we  never  heard  from 
him  again  ;  and  I  seriously  doubt  if  any  one  ever  sent  him. 
It  recalls  what  Sojourner  Truth  said  to  the  preacher,  when 
she  was  attending  a  woman's  rights  meeting  in  the  church 
and  a  violent  thunder-storm  came  up,  with  peal  after  peal 
shaking  the  building  to  its  foundation,  when  the  minister 
arose  and  proposed  that  they  should  adjourn,  as  he  thought 
the  Lord  was  angry  on  account  of  the  movement,  and  he 
believed  it  was  wicked  to  hold  such  a  meeting  in  a  church. 

Sojourner  arose  and  said  to  him,  "  Set  still,  chile.  Don't 
you  be  afeared.  I  don'  believe  the  Lord  ever  hearn  tell 
on  you." 

Mother  was  never  expelled  from  the  church,  but  the 
leading  members  came  to  our  side — minister  and  all. 


A  celebrated  seer  has  publicly  asserted  that  rapping 
mediums  are  necessarily  of  nervous  temperament,  appre- 
hensive of  evil,  and  usually  diseased. 


98  THE    }IISSIX<;     LINK 

There  has  never  been  in  our  family,  so  far  as  I  have 
been  able  to  trace  them,  on  either  side,  a  taint  of  disease; 
from  my  mother's  grandfather  Rutan,  who  lived  to  be 
ninety-three  years  of  age,  and  her  grandfather  on  her 
father's  side,  John  0.  Smith,  who  Mas  more  than  eighty 
years  of  age  when  lie  left  this  sphere  of  existence.  The 
same  is  true  of  my  father's  father  and  grandfather, 
neither  of  whom  were  diseased.  We  have  been  singularly 
free  from  all  manner  of  ailments  so  common  in  thousands 
of  families.  "We  had  no  taint  of  hereditary  scrofula, 
were  never  subject  to  inflammatory  diseases.  Healthy, 
sound,  and  strong,  not  easily  frightened,  steadfast  in  faith, 
and  never  disposed  to  believe  anything  without  evidence. 
I  have^  very  little  interest  in  anything  covered  by  the 
words  theoretic  speculations,  or  in  self -induced  conditions, 
in  which  many  thousands  who  stand  on  rostrums  and  teach 
the  anxious  inquirers  after  truth  that  of  which  they  them- 
selves know  little  or  nothing.  My  motto  is:  Live  up  to 
your  highest  light.  Listen  to  the  small  voice  within,  and 
obey  the  dictates  of  your  conscience.  Do  unto  others  as 
you  wTould  be  done  by.  Follow  the  golden  rule.  Go  wor- 
ship where  and  what  your  conscience,  not  pride,  leads  you, 
and  you  need  not  fear  to  meet  your  God. 


Justice  as  well  as  reverential  duty  has  prompted  my 
gracing  the  title-page  with  the  portrait  of  my  mother, 
rather  than  follow  the  customary  practice  of  placing  upon 
it  that  of  the  author,  by  way  of  personal  introduction  to 
the  eye  of  the  reader.  Though,  as  has  been  seen,  our 
father  had  but  little  part  to  play  beyond  that  of  consenting 
spectator  in  the  early  history  of  Spiritualism,  yet  my 
mother's  part  in  it,  and  services  to  its  cause,  were  of  the 
highest  value  and  importance.  Her  strength,  moral  and 
mental,  as  the  central  figure  of  our  family  group  before 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  99 

the  public,  largely  supported  us  iD  our  mission,  in  which 
she  always  accompanied  and  protected  us  ;  nor,  after  she 
had  once  yielded  her  consent  and  acceptance  of  the  '"duty,'' 
did  she  ever  begrudge  her  time  and  her  labors  thus  with- 
drawn from  the  private  life  of  domesticity,  which  would 
have  been  infinitely  her  preference. 


100  THE    MISSING    LINK 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

ROCHESTER  {Continued). 

"Repeat  the  Lord's  Prayer" — First  Mi  inky  Accepted — Mus- 
cular Quakerism — Letter  from  Georoe  Willets — Letter 
from  John  E.  Robinson — Caution  against  Consultation  of 
Spirits  about  Worldly  Interests. 

To  resume  the  narrative  interrupted  at  page  74. 

We  left  Corinthian  Hall  about  ten  o'clock  p.m.,  and  re- 
turned with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Post,  to  their  hospitable  Quaker 
home. 

We  had  passed  the  fiery  ordeal.  It  had  been  a  weari- 
some, exhausting  trial.  We  needed  rest,  and  it  was  thought 
advisable  for  us  to  remain  there  a  few  days.  Many  people 
called  at  our  house  on  Troup  Street,  and,  when  they  were 
informed  of  our  absence,  subsequently  called  at  Mr.  Post's 
to  see  us,  but  were  refused  admittance  under  the  circum- 
stances which  imposed  the  necessity. 

Before  we  left  this  home  of  our  kind  and  dear  friends, 
mother  and  Ivathie  returned.  (The  latter  had  been  to 
Mr.  Capron's,  in  Auburn,  and  returned  with  mother  to 
Rochester.) 

Mother  had  not  heard  of  the  public  investigation,  and 
thus  was  spared  all  the  anxiety  and  torture  of  mind  which 
we  had  undergone.  She  declared  that  if  she  had  been 
there  she  would  not  have  permitted  it. 

We  were  consoled  by  the  reflection  that  we  had  fairly 
gained  the  victory,  and  cleared  ourselves  from  the  charges 
of  deception  ;  and  that  was  our  first  and  chief  desire. 
We  believed  we  had  done  our  duty,  and  rejoiced  that  we 


IN  MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  101 

had  been  so  truly,  so  kindly  and  so  nobly  supported,  and 
so  honorably  acquitted.  Mother  was  rejoiced  at  our  suc- 
cess and  began  to  feel  more  resigned.  Many  persons 
continued  to  call,  and  all  were  anxious  to  learn  from  as 
and  the  Spirits  something  more  than  they  were  able  to 
i^et  through  popular  report  or  the  newspapers.  We  often 
refused  to  see  them,  and  declared  we  would  not  again 
subject  ourselves  to  the  criticisms  of  those  who  knew  little 
or  nothing  of  the  subject,  and  were  in  general  so  bitterly 
hostile  and  prejudiced  against  it. 

Oh,  how  little  did  we  know  of  all  that  was  before  us  ! 
AVe  had  just  opened  the  door  to  the  public  curiosity  and 
interest ;  and  it  was  not  for  us  to  discriminate  who  should 
enter  therein.  The  people  came  from  every  direction. 
AVe  knew  not  what  to  do.  Judge  Hascall  came  to  spend 
an  evening  with  us,  bringing  with  him  a  large  party  of 
his  friends,  viz.,  Judge  Summerfield,  Hon.  J.  lledden, 
Andrew  Stewart,  Mr.  Duncan  McXaughton,  Judge  Cham- 
berlain, Mr.  McKay,  and  Mr.  McVean.  One  of  these  par- 
ties was  known  to  his  friends  as  an  extreme  infidel  in 
religions  matters. 

Several  of  the  parties  named  had  visited  us  before,  and 
they  had  urged  Mr.  McXaughton  to  spend  the  evening 
with  us.  He  tried  to  excuse  himself,  but  they  insisted, 
and  he  finally  consented  to  do  so  ;  they  clearly  understood 
that  he  was  not  to  take  any  part  in  the  investigation. 
They  arrived  at  about  eight  o'clock  p.m.  Judge  Hascall 
introduced  the  gentlemen  as  his  friends  and  neighbors 
from  Genesee  County,  X.  Y.  They  were  all  distinguished 
men,  holding  high  positions  in  their  several  pursuits. 

No  sooner  had  we  taken  our  seats  at  the  table,  than  the 
Spirits  spelled  out,  "  My  dear  son,  repeat  the  Lord's 
prayer."  Each  member  looked  at  the  others  inquiringly, 
but  no  word  was  spoken  except  to  ask  "  Who  ?  " 


102  THE   MISSING   LINK 


The  rappinge  answered,  "My  dear  son,  ha'e  ye  for- 
gotten your  purr  auld  mitherS  O  my  son,  repeat  the 
Lord's  prayer."  Mr.  McXaughton  was  a  very  tall  man, 
with  a  strong  Scotch  accent.  The  rapping  still  continued 
to  call  upon  him  to  repeat  the  Lord's  prayer.  He  looked 
from  one  to  another,  but  said  nothing.  His  friends  urged 
him  to  comply  with  the  Spirit's  request;  but  he  was  dis- 
gusted, and  thought  it  was  a  trick  which  his  friends  were 
playiug  upon  him,  and  as  they  were  very  jolly,  he  would 
not  make  himself  ridiculous  by  resenting  it:  but  still  no 
further  manifestations  came,  under  the  then  state  of 
things. 

His  friends  told  him  that  if  he  wanted  to  witness  any- 
thing further  he  would  have  to  comply  with  the  request 
of  the  Spirit.  After  much  persuasion,  he  reluctantly  com- 
menced in  a  very  low,  indistinct  manner  to  mumble  some- 
thing that  sounded  like  "Our  father,  which  art  in  heaven." 
By  this  time  a  universal  roar  of  laughter  broke  from  the 
company.  Still,  the  Spirit  urged  him  to  go  on,  and  he 
began  again  with  little  better  success. 

His  friends  knew  full  well  it  had  been  many  a  day  since 
he  had  prayed  with  his  "  dear  auld  mither."  The  Spirit 
then  spelled  that  "all  should  join  in  repeating  the  Lord's 
prayer,"  and  we  all  united  in  its  repetition.  The  respon- 
sive rappings  of  approval  were  heard  all  over  the  room — 
on  the  table,  chairs,  floor,  and  wall.  Mr.  McKaughton 
looked  astonished.  The  table  danced  with  evident  joy, 
and  we  were  obliged  to  move  back.  There  it  stood,  upon 
one  foot,  fairly  dancing.  Mr.  McNaughton  exclaimed 
boldly,  in  his  Scotch  dialect,  "  Exthraordinary  !  Extraor- 
dinary !  I  begin  to  understand  it  now."  The  laughter 
was  over.  The  Spirit  of  his  mother  said,  "  My  dear  son, 
do  you  remember  how  we  used  to  repeat  the  Lord's  prayer 
together,  when  you  were  a  little  laddie  %  "     "  Yes,  mother. 


IN  MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  103 


Yes,  I  comprehend  it  all.  I  am  converted  to  the  truth  of 
Spiritual  manifestations." 

The  company  remained  until  ten  o'clock,  and  the  man- 
ifestations were  very  satisfactory.  They  felt  more  than 
gratified,  and,  to  use  their  own  words,  said,  "We  cannot 
go  away  without  giving  you  some  remuneration  for  the 
time  you  have  kindly  spent  with  us."  Mr.  McXaughton 
had  just  lost  a  lovely  daughter,  and  she  gave  him  sweet 
assurance  of  her  undying  love  and  her  immortal  existence. 

This  is  the  first  instance  in  which  we  had  ever  been  of- 
fered payment  for  our  time.  They  offered  it  in  kindness 
and  good  faith,  believing  it  was  justly  our  due.  But  to  us 
it  seemed  humiliating.  We  had  not  needed  such  aid,  as 
my  brother  furnished  us  with  provisions  from  the  farm, 
and,  with  what  I  still  had  left  of  that  received  for  teaching, 
I  had  enough  for  present  purposes  ;  and  I  fully  intended 
to  return  with  mother,  and  live  at  the  old  home.  Still 
our  friends  insisted  that  we  should  not  refuse  their  kindly 
intended  gift.  This  first  money  was  received  on  No- 
vember 28,  1849. 


I  will  here  introduce,  for  love  and  veneration  to  his 
memory,  a  letter  written  about  this  time  by  our  excellent 
Quaker  friend  George  Willets,  of  Rochester,  to  Mr.  E.  W. 
Capron,  who  handed  it. over  to  me.  He  was  one  of  the 
noblest  of  men.  And  Quaker  as  he  was  (he  was  one  of 
the  "  Progressive  Friends,"  commonly  called  Hicksites),  I 
once  witnessed  a  scene  in  which  a  just  and  righteous  in- 
dignation caused  him  to  cast  off  his  coat,  in  readiness  to 
deal  in  very  mundane  fashion  with  an  unworthy  and  mis- 
behaving member  of  one  of  the  "investigating  commit- 
tees."  "I've  never  fought  a  man  in  my  life,"  he  said, 
"  but  I  will  not  stand  by  and  see  thee  insult  these  chil- 
dren."    The  assailant  wilted  down.     The  provocation  was 


104  THE    MISSING    LINK 


such  that  I  am  sure  the  angel  who  may  have  charge  of  the 
short  record  of  Quaker  sins,  after  writing  it  "  dropped  a 
tear  on  the  words  and  blotted  them  out  forever." 

LETTER   FBOM    GEOBGE   WILLETS. 

(About  end  of  1848.) 

A  ar  friend,  E.  W.  Cagpron  : 

It  is  with  some  reluctance  that  I  furnish  you  with  the 
following  statement.  Not  that  I  am  afraid  to  tell  the 
truth,  but  that  the  world,  as  I  conceive,  is  not  ready  to 
receive  such  truths  yet.  Ridicule  will  probably  be  heaped 
upon  me ;  but  when  I  consider  that  it  is  the  ignorant  only 
who  use  that  weapon,  perhaps  I  can  afford  to  stand  up  and 
say,  "  Let  the  storm  come."  All  who  know  me  can  say 
whether  I  have  been  truthful  from  my  youth  up,  yea  or 
nay  ;  and  the  strongest  language  that  I  can  use  is  to  say 
that  the  following  statement  is  strictly  and  entirely  true. 

In  the  summer  of  1848,  I  had  concluded,  from  the  best 
judgment  that  I  could  bring  to  my  aid,  that  it  was  best  for 
my  family  to  remove  somewhere  among  the  wilds  of  the 
"West.  Accordingly  I  took  a  tour  of  observation,  and  find- 
ing some  land  in  Michigan,  that  suited  me  better  than  any 
other,  belonging  to  a  gentleman  living  in  Rochester,  I 
stopped  on  my  return,  in  order,  if  possible,  to  negotiate 
for  it.  I  stayed  with  my  friend  and  relative,  Isaac  Post, 
and  while  there  he  told  me  of  certain  sounds  being  heard 
in  the  city ;  and  that  they  displayed  intelligence,  and  pur- 
ported to  be  made  by  "  Spirits,"  or  persons  invisible  to  us. 
I  was  really  sceptical  about  any  such  things,  but  at  his 
solicitation  went  to  examine  the  matter.  The  persons  with 
whom  these  sounds  seemed  to  be,  I  had  never  seen  nor 
heard  of  before,  and  my  friend  was  careful  not  to  tell  them 
who  I  was,  or  where  I  had  been.     It  seems  that  the  ques- 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  105 

tion  was  asked  whether  there  was  any  communication  for 
me,  and  the  direction  from  the  sounds  was,  that  three  per- 
sons he  magnetized  ;  two  of  whom  were  present,  and  one 
was  sent  for  from  a  neighboring  family.  I  did  not  know 
the  name  of  any  person  present,  and  I  was  also  certain 
that  none  of  them  knew  me.  After  the  three  persons  were 
put  in  the  clairvoyant  state,  one  of  them  said,  "We  have 
got  to  go  to  Michigan."  They  all  agreed  that  they  had 
got  to  go  there,  and  on  my  account.  They  did  seem  all  to 
go  there,  and  began  to  describe  places  and  things  which  I 
had  seen,  and  at  length  came  to  a  piece  of  land  which  they 
said  was  the  place  they  came  to  look  at.  They  then  de- 
scribed the  land  so  accurately,  which  I  had  stopped  in 
Rochester  to  bwy,  that  I  began  to  wonder  who  had  told 
them.  They  all,  with  one  accord,  then  said,  "  But  he 
must  not  go  there.  His  father  says  that  he  had  better  not 
go."  As  they  said  this,  there  came  a  loud  sound  close  to 
my  chair,  and  /  sat  some  distance  from  any  other  person. 
They  spoke  much  of  my  father,  and  what  his  mind  was, 
and  at  each  time  that  same  sound  was  heard.  Up  to  this 
time  I  had  not  spoken  a  word,  but  found  the  big  drops  of 
perspiration  starting  from  my  face.  I  gathered  courage, 
and  thought  I  would  dispel  that  illusion  directly.  I  said, 
"As  you  assume  to  know  my  father,  and  what  his  mind  is 
concerning  me,  jperheqp®  you  can  tell  his  name."  They  all 
seemed  to  look  steadity  for  some  time,  then  commenced 
and  spoke  slowly  and  deliberately  these  letters:  "AV-i-1- 
1-i-a-m  AV-i-1-l-e-t-s."  At  each  letter  the  loud  sound  that 
I  first  heard  was  again  heard,  and  felt  immediately  under 
my  feet.  I  never  was  so  astonished  in  my  life,  and  invol- 
untarily said,  "What  does  all  this  mean  ? "  The  sounds 
then  said,  by  the  alphabet  being  called  over,  that  they  had 
better  be  awakened,  and  the  first  loud  sounds  said,  "I  will 
talk  with  George,  and  tell  him  all  about  it."     The  direc- 


lOG  THE   MISSING   LINK 

tion  was  for  Mr.  Post,  myself,  and  a  little  girl,  thirteen 
years  old,  to  go  by  ourselves.  And  here  I  wish  it  distinctly 
understood,  that  all  which  I  shall  relate  as  obtained  from 
those  sounds,  was  in  the  presence  only  of  my  friends,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Post,  myself,  and  the  little  girl  spoken  of.  As 
what  follows  all  purported  to  be  from  my  father,  I  will 
say  that  his  name  was  William  Willets,  a  member  of  the 
Society  of  Friends,  widely  known  at  "VVestbury,  Long 
Island,  where  he  lived  until  nearly  sixty  years  of  age,  and 
subsequently  at  Skaneateles,  Onondaga  Count}',  where  he 
died  in  1841.  The  communication  by  sounds  then  went 
on  to  say  that  it  was  my  father  who  was  present  and  talk- 
ing with  me ;  and  three  hours  were  consumed  at  the  first 
interview.  * 

In  saying  to  me  what  his  counsel  was,  it  always  assumed 
to  counsel  and  advise,  but  never  to  dictate.  He  said  that 
it  was  not  best  for  us  to  go  to  Michigan,  and  gave  various 
reasons,  among  which  were  that  we  should  not  enjoy  our- 
selves in  a  new  country,  and  that  my  health  M'ould  not  be 
competent  for  the  task  of  clearing  up  new  land  ;  and  that 
he  foresaw,  if  we  did  go,  that  we  should  come  back  again, 
and  would  be  less  in  number  than  when  we  went.  I  then 
asked  what  was  best  to  do.  The  answer  then  was,  "  Come 
to  Rochester."  I  replied  that  I  knew  of  no  business  that 
I  could  do  in  Rochester.  The  sounds  said,  "  I  will  tell  thee 
when  thee  comes."  I  asked  if  I  might  know  now.  The 
answer  was,  "  !No,  no  business  is  needed  until  thee  comes, 
and  then  I  will  tell  thee."  The  sounds  then  said,  that  after 
a  time  it  would  be  best  for  me  to  buy  some  land.  I  asked 
where.  The  sounds  then  spelled  out  the  name  of  a  man 
whom  no  one  present  knew,  and  said  that  he  owned  fifty 
acres  of  land  on  such  a  street  adjoining  the  city,  and  such  a 
distance  from  the  centre  of  the  city  ;  that  he  would  sell 
any  part.     I  asked  the  price  that  would  be  asked.     The 


IX    MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  1(>7 

sounds  were  heard  and  counted  by  three  of  ns, — one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  times  in  succession, — to  tell  ns  the  number 
of  dollars  per  acre  that  would  be  asked.  The  sounds  said 
that  we  had  better  go  the  next  day  and  see  if  this  was  so, 
and  said  that  we  should  not  see  the  man  until  ten  o'clock, 
though  we  might  look  for  him  as  early  as  we  pleased. 

In  the  morning  I  looked  in  the  Directory  and  there 
found  the  name  spelled  out  to  us,  and  went  to  his  residence 
at  seven  o'clock,  and  was  informed  that  he  was  gone  to  a 
distant  part  of  the  city,  and  would  not  be  home  until 
twelve  o'clock.  We  then  went  to  find  him,  and  had  some 
difficulty  in  doing  so,  but  after  talking  with  him  five  or 
six  minutes,  looked  at  the  time,  and  it  was  seven  minutes 
•past  ten.  This  person  said  that  he  owned  fifty  acres  on 
the  street  told  ns  by  the  sounds,  and  that  he  would  sell 
any  part.  "When  I  asked  him  the  price,  he  showed  me  a 
map  with  the  price  of  each  lot  marked,  and  taking  the 
number  of  acres  said  by  the  sounds  to  be  best  to  buy,  and 
averaging  the  price,  it  was  the  price  told  us  by  the  sounds, 
within  six  one-lmndredths  of  a  dollar  per  acre.  I  then  went 
home  to  my  family  and  pondered  over  these  strange  things. 
Many  were  the  conflicts  in  my  own  mind,  and  I  heard 
the  cry  from  all  quarters  of  "  humbug,''  "  deception,'' 
"  fraud  ;  "  but  I  could- not  believe  that  I  wanted  to  deceive 
myself.  Three  months  I  thought  of  these  things  deeply, 
and  I  could  not  go  to  Michigan.  I  concluded,  if  it  was 
deception,  it  would  do  the  world  some  good  to  find  it  out. 
The  first  of  December,  1848,  I  moved  from  "Waterloo  to 
Rochester.  A  few  days  after  getting  here,  the  little  girl 
spoken  of  came  round  to  our  house,  and  said  that  the 
';  spirit"  had  directed  her  to  come  ;  for  what  purpose  she 
did  not  know;  we  inquired  what  it  was,  and  this  Avas  the 
communication:  '•  I  told  thee  if  thee  would  come  to 
Rochester,  I  would  tell  thee  where  thee  could  find  employ- 


L08  THE    MISSING   LINK 

ment:  in  four  days  from  this  time  I  will  tell  thee.  In 
the  meantime  the  anti-slavery  folks  arc  going  to  hold  their 
fair:  would  it  hot  be  well  fur  thee  to  help  them?"  No 
one  Mas  present  at  this  time  except  my  wife,  the  little 
girl,  and  myself.  The  four  days  went  by,  and  again,  with- 
out solicitation,  and  without  thinking  the  time  was  up,  the 
girl  came  again.  The  communication  was,  ''Apply  to 
William  Wiley,  Superintendent  of  the  Auburn  and  Ro- 
chester Railroad,  to-morrow  at  two  o'clock,  at  his  office, 
for  a  situation,  and  thee  will  have  one  before  this  week  is 
out."  This  was  Thursday.  I  was  a  stranger  to  Mr.  Wiley, 
and  I  called  on  Mr.  Post,  and  told  him  the  direction,  and 
asked  him  if  the  next  day  he  would  go  with  me.  That 
evening  he,  happening  to  be  at  the  depot,  inquired  if  Mr. 
Wiley  was  at  home,  and  was  told  that  he  was  in  Boston, 
and,  by  a  letter  just  received,  would  not  be  at  home  till  Fri- 
day night.  1  was  told  by  the  sounds  on  Wednesday  to 
apply  on  Thursday  at  two  o'clock.  Thursday  at  half-past 
one,  instead  of  going  to  the  railroad  office,  I  went  round 
where  these  sounds  were  heard,  and  said,  "  How  is  this  ? — 
I  am  told  to  apply  to  William  Wiley,  and  he  is  in  Boston.*' 
The  sounds  said  :  "  Go  to  his  office  noio,  he  is  there.''  I 
called  for  Mr.  Post  and  walked  immediately  there,  and 
found  Mr.  Wiley  in  his  office.  lie  said  that  he  had  re- 
turned sooner  than  he  expected  to  when  he  wrote  the  letter. 
Mr.  Post  said  that  I  was  a  relative  of  his,  and  wished  em- 
ployment ;  and  Mr.  Wiley  replied  that  they  were  all  full, 
with  abundant  applications,  and  could  give  no  encourage- 
ment whatever.  We  walked  back,  thinking  deeply,  and  I 
went  where  the  sounds  were  heard  again.  I  inquired, 
"  How  is  this  ? — Mr.  Wiley  has  no  place  for  me  !  "  The 
answer  was :  "Thee  will  have  a  place  on  the  cars,  and  will 
know  it  before  the  week  is  out." 

On  Saturday  night,  at  dark,  I  met  Mr.  Post,  and  he 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  109 

asked  if  I  had  heard  anything  from  Mr.  Wiley.  I  replied, 
"  Xot  a  word."  At  eight  o'clock  on  that  same  evening  Mr. 
Post  called  at  my  house,  and  said  that  Mr.  Wiley  had  just 
been  at  his  store,  and  said  that  he  had  a  place  for  me,  and 
wished  me  to  call  at  his  office  on  Monday  morning.  As 
Mr.  Wiley  did  not  tell  what  place  I  was  to  fill,  I  again 
asked  the  sounds  what  it  was  ;  and  they  said  it  was  to  go 
as  baggage-master  between  this  place  and  Auburn.  On 
Sunday  morning  I  wrote  to  my  friend  James  Truman,  of 
Waterloo,  stating  that  I  should  pass  through  that  place  on 
Monday  following,  in  the  capacity  above  stated,  before  I 
knew  from  31 r.  Wiley  what  place  he  wanted  me  to  Jill  y 
and  he  can  probably  testify  to  that  fact.  One  month 
after  I  had  been  running  on  the  cars,  I  learned  that  the 
person  whose  place  I  took  had  done  things  worthy  of  a 
dismissal,  previous  to  my  being  directed  to  make  applica- 
tion, which  did  not  come  to  Mr.  Wiley's  notice  till  the 
diiij  on  which  I  received  the  appointment.  These  things 
have  only  been  known  to  a  few  friends ;  you  and  the 
world  now  have  them.  I  have  many  communications, 
penned  down  at  the  time  they  were  received,  purporting 
to  be  from  my  father,  all  of  the  most  elevating  character, 
inciting  me  to  goodness,  purity  and  honesty  of  heart,  and 
ever  pointing  to  the  endless  progression  of  man.  In  con- 
clusion, I  may  say  that  I  have  examined  the  matter  atten- 
tively for  one  year  and  a  half,  and  have  had  abundant  op- 
portunities to  do  so,  and  am  prepared  to  say,  although  the 
sounds  may  cease  to-day,  and  never  be  heard  again,  tliey 
have  displayed  a  remarkable  degree  of  intelligence,  and 
were  not  made  by  any  person  visible  to  us. 

(Signed)  George  Willets.* 

*  I  feel  bound  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  directions  narrated 
in  this  letter  were  volunteered  by  the  Spirits  to  Mr.  Willets,  not  sought  by 
him,  and  they  were  all  strictly  correct.    They  led  to  this  good  and  service- 


110  THE   MISSING   LINK 

Before  proceeding  further  I  desire  at  this  point  to  insert 
in  this  volume  an  interesting  letter,  addressed  to  the  Ro- 
chester Daily  Advertiser,  by  our  friend  Mr.  John  E.  Rob- 
inson,  also,  like  Mr.  Willets,  a  well-known  and  distinguished 
member  of  the  Society  of  Friends. 

The  controversy  on  the  rapping  and  the  general  spirit- 
ual manifestations  after  the  public  investigation  could  no 
longer  be  suppressed.  It  became  a  subject  which  elicited 
much  comment  in  the  public  prints ;  but  in  relation  to 
which  the  Spiritualists  had  nothing  to  fear.  Their  oppo- 
nents, generally,  wrote  without  ever  having  examined  it ; 
and  graded  the  vehemence  of  their  opposition  by  the 
strength  of  their  fealty  to  the  teachings  of  their  leaders. 
One  of  these  acknowledged  leaders  was  Chester  Dewey, 
D.D.,  of  the  Rochester  Collegiate  Institute,  who,  without 
seeking  to  investigate  the  subject,  claimed  to  recognize  it 
as  a  fraud  in  its  inception  and  wicked  in  its  designs ;  and 
thus  recorded  his  opinion  in  the  public  press  at  Rochester. 
His  letters  to  the  Rochester  Daily  Advertiser,  at  the  time, 

able  friend  being  established  in  Rochester,  where  he  became  very  use- 
ful to  us  and  to  the  nascent  Cause  to  which  the  Spirits  had  called  and  de- 
voted us.  But  I  am  anxious  to  caution  the  reader  against  the  error  of 
consulting  Spirits  for  information  or  direction  about  matters  of  worldly 
interest.  They  will  probably  get  answers,  but  from  mocking  and  de- 
ceptive Spirits,  who  step  in  when  the  good  and  true  ones  decline  to  in- 
tervene. It  is  not  the  mission  of  good  Spirits  to  mingle  in  affairs  of 
mere  non-spiritual  interest.  Beware  of  what  is  called  "  business  me- 
diumship,"  and  of  directions  respecting  fortune-making  or  fortune- 
telling.  Never  forget  that  there  are  tricksters  and  liars  out  of  the  flesh 
as  well  as  in  it;  which  is  little  to  be  wondered  at  since  so  many  of  that 
character  are  daily  passing  out  from  the  one  condition  into  the  other, 
when  they  remain  for  periods  often  prolonged,  earth-bound  by  their  own 
selfish  viciousness.  We  should  never  da  more  than  ask  good  Spirits  to 
guide  us  by  their  kindly  influences,  and  then  do  the  best  in  the  situa- 
tion that  we  can  according  to  our  best  lights  of  conscience  and  judg- 
ment. Nor  can  we  ever  transfer  to  Spirit  counsellors  our  own  moral 
and  mental  responsibilities. — A.  L.  U. 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  Ill 

drew  forth  the  following  rejoinder  by  Mr.  Robinson,  of 
that  city,  which  -was  published  in  the  columns  of  that 
paper : 

"the  rapping  mystery. 

"  Messrs.  Editors  :  There  has  been  a  vast  deal  of  ink 
shed  upon  the  above-named  subject,  and  much  of  it  to 
but  little  purpose,  except  to  demonstrate  the  willingness 
of  individuals  to  show  up  before  the  world  the  least  at- 
tractive features  of  their  intellectual  and  moral  characters. 
Far  the  greater  number  of  paragraphists  who  have  essayed 
to  enlighten  the  world  on  this  subject,  and  protect  this 
community  in  particular  from  humbug,  as  they  are  pleased 
to  term  it,  have  made  up  their  various  articles  of  exceed- 
ingly cheap  material.  Ridicule,  the  fool's  argument,  has 
formed  the  chief  staple  of  their  lucubrations.  Denunci- 
ation, unsparingly  poured  out,  has  been  heaped  upon  the 
heads  of  those  most  immediately  connected  with  this  sin- 
gular phenomenon,  and  an  unwarrantable  and  unmanly 
meanness,  which  has  led  the  writers,  almost  without  ex- 
ception, to  traduce  the  character  of  the  Fox  family,  and 
has  taught  us  how  easy  it  is  for  men  to  forget  their  man- 
hood and  stoop  to  a  point  at  which  they  can  lay  claim  to 
but  little  of  the  nobility  of  human  nature. 

"I,  for  one,  can  find  an  apology  for  the  penny-a-liners 
who  have  poured  their  puerile  effusions  at  the  knocking 
mystery.  They  do  but  cater  for  a  public  sentiment  and 
public  ignorance  in  this  matter  ;  and  their  bread-and-but- 
fcer  demands  of  them  that  they  shall  not  wave  their  inky 
wands  beyond  the  line  of  that  opinion.  Bat  there  are 
some  for  whom  we  cannot  make  this  apology.  I  notice 
in  your  paper  of  23d  inst,  a  communication  over  the  sig- 
nature of  C.  I).  The  writer  of  said  article  lays  claim 
(and  nut  a  groundless  one)  to  the  reputation   of  a  man  of 


112  THE   MISSING   LINK 

wisdom.  lie  is  known  among  us  as  the  expounder  of 
laws  natural  and  divine.  His  picture,  so  lie  tells  us,  hangs 
from  the  walls  of  the  Athenaeum,  and  looks  down  com- 
placently upon  its  visitors  as  a  teacher  of  the  exact  and 
occult  sciences.  The  community  in  which  he  lives  lias 
nourished  him  during  a  long  lapse  of  years,  has  accredited 
to  him.  the  prerogatives  he  has  claimed,  and  has  looked 
up  to  him,  as  one  clothed  with  authority,  to  enlighten  it 
upon  all  abstruse  subjects.  And  yet,  with  the  knowledge 
(which  he  must  possess)  that  if  anything  be  spoken  of  it 
must  be  spoken  of  understandingly, — that  a  man  in  his  po- 
sition utterly  disregards  the  safety  of  his  reputation  who 
rushes  to  record  an  opinion  without  ascertaining  that  it  is 
tenable,  and  that  he  has  facts  to  sustain  him  ;  this  self-same 
C.  D.,  this  Solon  of  the  closet  and  pulpit,  without  a  particle 
of  evidence,  in  the  absence  of  all  personal  observation, 
rushes  in  the  hot  haste  of  blind  folly  to  the  press,  and  tells 
the  "  good  people"  that  the  phenomenon  in  question  is  no 
phenomenon  at  all,  but  only  a  sheer  humbug !  a  miserable 
delusion,  cunningly  contrived,  but  fit  only  to  deceive  such 
fanatical  fools  as  have  been  chasing  shadows  from  time  im- 
memorial, down  to  the  advent  of  Mormonism. 

"  This  word  h umbug  is  in  great  request.  It  is  of  modern 
origin,  and  the  moderns  are  making  the  most  of  it.  Every- 
thing new,  while  going  through  its  incipient  stage,  is  de- 
nominated 'humbug.'  Everything  and  everybody  a  whit  in 
advance  of  the  age  or  its  intelligence  is  looked  at  askance 
by  the  gaping  crowd,  and  'humbug'  is  the  ready  watch- 
word. The  community's  acknowledged  leaders,  and  whose 
antics,  at  times,  should  have  taught  them  that 

'  A  little  learning  is  a  dangerous  thing,' 

are  asked  by  their  too  credulous  disciples  to  give  them  their 
opinion  on  some  new  and  startling  development  in  phvs- 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  113 

ics  or  man's  intellectual  nature,  and  immediately  these 
'  learned  Thebans,'  scorning  the  patient  toil  and  honest 
purpose  of  the  true  student,  turn  their  blear  eyes  upon  the 
interrogations  and  shout  Humbug!    Humbug  ! 

k*  In  such  cases  their  visual  organs  are  of  about  as  much 
service  to  them  as  the  sun  is  to  that  burrowing  animal 
which  shuns  the  light  of  da}'.  When  will  men,  even 
whose  gray  hairs  seem  to  ask  us  to  expect  better  things  of 
them,  learn  that  bareface  assertion  weighs  not  as  evidence 
with  those  who  choose  to  think  for  themselves  ?  Ours  is 
a  thinking  age,  and  requires  something  more  than  the  bold 
say  80  of  any  man  to  convince  people  that  a  thing  may  or 
may  not  be.  We  live  at  a  period,  too,  and  in  the  midst  of 
minds  which  have  learned  that  much  that  was  received  as 
unadulterated  truth  by  the  past,  upon  which  the  dust  of 
buried  centuries  had  gathered  and  seemed  to  hallow,  has 
been  proved  erroneous  by  the  light  of  advancing  knowl- 
edge and  the  searching  analysis  of  science.  And  who  shall 
say  where  that  knowledge  is  to  stop  ?  Is  there  to  be  no  new 
unfolding  of  man's  intellectual  powers  ?  Is  he  ever  to  re- 
main in  the  comparative  ignorance  he  now  is  in  respecting 
the  relations  which  he,  while  here  in  this  life,  sustains  to 
the  spiritual  world  ?  Are  the  laws  of  his  being  and  its  at- 
tributes as  yet  entirely  revealed  to  him  ?  Is  the  physical 
of  this  world  of  so  much  importance  that  the  astounding 
developments  of  this  and  the  coming  cycles  of  time  are  to 
be  confined  entirely  to  that,  to  the  exclusion  of  man's 
higher  and  more  ethereal  nature?  These  questions  I  leave 
your  correspondent  C.  D.  and  his  coadjutor  J.  W.  II.  to 
answer  for  themselves  in  their  more  reflective  hours. 

"  C.  D.  says  '  the  wary  and  eagle-eyed  are  kept  out,  and 
excluded  from  opportunity  of  investigation.'  Xow,  to  be 
perfectly  plain,  this  remark  borders  very  much  upon  mis- 
representation.    It  is  not  so.     And  if  the  gentleman  would 


114  THE   MISSING   LINK 

have  '  the  good  people'  understand  that  lie  is  thus  denied, 
I  would  undeceive  them.  Mr.  Dewey  has  on  more  than 
one  occasion  been  urged  by  those  who  would  have  afforded 
him  every  opportunity  for  investigation,  to  test  the  reality 
of  the  said  phenomena,  lie  could  have  had,  and  may 
have,  associated  with  him  in  such  investigation,  men  whom 
he  or  others  may  select,  as  his  equals  in  every  respect,  to 
aid  him ;  and  before  he  has  the  temerity  to  repeat  his 
uttered  cry  of  humbug,  and  brand  again,  with  most  un- 
christian readiness,  as  deceivers,  individuals  whom  he  does 
not  know,  I  call  upon  him  to  avail  himself  of  the  senses 
which  God  has  given  him  for  that  purpose.  He  need  feel 
no  repugnance  to  visiting  so  obscure  a  locality  as  Troup 
Street.  His  equals  (to  say  the  least)  have  been  there  before 
him,  and  he  would  not  have  to  tarry  long  in  that  region 
to  meet  with  visitors  who  possess  more  intelligence,  a  wider 
charity,  greater  modesty,  and  a  better  purpose  than  he  has 
manifested  in  his  communications. 

"  A  man's  practice  is  the  touchstone  of  his  faith,  and  I 
want  no  better  evidence  of  the  practical  infidelity  of  any 
one,  than  to  know  that  while  he  preaches  for  so  much  the 
square  yard  the  doctrine  of  an  after-life,  he  scouts  any- 
thing which  comes  to  us  in  the  shape  of  tangible  evidence 
of  the  soul's  immortality. 

"  Mr.  Dewey  says  he  will  be  '  glad  to  see  the  truth  ad- 
vanced, lead  where  it  may.'  In  this  I  join  him,  and  such 
motive  must  be  my  apology  for.  trespassing  upon  your 
columns  and  patience. 

"  Respectfully  yours, 

"  John  E.  Robinson. 

"Rocuestek,  February,  25,  1850." 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  115 


CHAPTER  IX. 

ALBANY  AND  TROY.    1850. 

Exctbsion  to  Albany — Delay  an  House  and  Van  Vechten  Hall 
— Rey.  Dr.  Staats  and  the  Judges — High  Class  of  Minds 
Interested  —  Presldent  Eliphalet  Nott  —  Pecunlvry  Ar- 
rangements—Excursion to  Troy — Trojan  Ladles — Mob  At- 
tempts on  Life  of  Margaretta. 

EXCURSION   TO    ALBANY. 

We  were  directed  (by  the  spirits)  to  "go  forth  and  let 
the  troth  be  known."1  We  had  already  passed  through  a 
terrible  experience,  and  feared  to  make  another  snch  haz- 
ardous attempt ;  but  the  fiat  had  gone  forth.  We  had 
debated  the  question  a  long  time  before  we  could  consent 
to  subject  ourselves  to  another  public  contest.  How- 
ever, there  was  no  alternative.  We  were  compelled  to 
"  do  our  duty,"  regardless  of  consequences,  so  far  as  it  was 
in  our  power. 

It  was  the  first  of  April,  1850,  when  the  Rev.  R.  P. 
Ambler  and  Mr.  D.  F.  Coraan,  of  Springfield,  Mass.,  called 
on  us  for  an  evening  seance.  They  came  with  an  intro- 
duction from  our  friend  Apollus  Munn.  Mr.  Ambler  was 
a  I  niversalist  minister,  had  preached  in  Albany,  and  was 
much  respected  there.  They  were  greatly  astonished  by 
the  evidence  they  received  during  the  seance ;  and  it 
proved  to  them  clearly  that  their  communications  were 
received  from  spirits,  or  from  some  power  entirely  beyond 
our  knowledge.  Various  circumstances  point  to  the  con- 
clusion that  these  arrangements  had  been  planned  and 
directed  fur  us  by  our  spirit  friends  and  guides. 


HO  THE   MISSING    LINE 

We  had  been  informed  by  the  spirits  that  we  should  have 
a  proper  person  to  lecture  for  us ;  and  were  told  that  we 

should  first  go  to  Albany,  engage  a  public  hall,  and  allow 
the  spirit-rapping  to  be  heard  by  the  audience.  We  did 
not,  however,  dare  to  attempt  such  a  venture  until  we  had 
made  another  experiment  in  our  own  city  (Rochester). 
Only  five  months  previously  we  had  left  Corinthian  Hall, 
triumphantly  indeed,  but  amid  a  howling  mob.  But  they 
had  been  kept  at  bay  and  overpowered  by  superior  forces, 
and  we  tried  by  the  public,  and  not  found  guilty. 

Once  again  we  engaged  a  hall,  at  our  own  expense,  and 
gave  notice  to  the  public  that  Mr.  Ambler  would  deliver  a 
lecture,  and  "  the  three  sisters  would  accompany  him  on 
the  platform."  The  hall  was  crowded.  The  lecturer  was 
eloquent  and  the  audience  pleased.  The  rappings  were 
profuse.  Public  opinion  had  changed  since  the  first  lec- 
tures on  the  subject.  Friends  rushed  to  the  platform  to 
congratulate  us  on  our  triumphant  success. 

Many  good  wishes  for  our  happiness  and  prosperity  in 
our  great  enterprise  were  showered  upon  us  ;  and  we  little 
dreamed  that  we  had  given  our  last  public  entertainment 
to  our  true  and  tried  friends  in  Rochester.  We  did  not 
even  imagine  that  we  were  then  leaving  our  dear  old  home 
for  a  new  one  in  a  new  city,  when  the  proper  time  should 
arrive.  There  was  much  and  arduous  consultation  re- 
specting the  mode  in  which  we  should  go  forth  into  the 
world  on  the  travels  and  toils  that  lay  before  us. 

Our  father  had  been  interrupted  in  all  his  business  ar- 
rangements, and  could  not  possibly  leave  home,  and  Cal- 
vin, who  had  grown  up  in  our  family  (a  son  and  brother 
by  adoption),  was  the  best  personal  protector  we  could 
have.     We  left  with  our  father's  sympathy  and  blessing. 

We  reached  Albany  the  last  of  April,  1850.  We  en- 
gaged a  suite  of  rooms  in  the  Delavau  House.     Mr.  Am- 


I\    MODERN    SPIRITUALISM.  117 

bier  was  our  lecturer,  and  Mr.  Coman  oar  business  man 
— mother,  Maggie,  Katie,  and  myself,  with  Calvin  as  our 
escort.  "We  engaged  Van  Vechten  Hall.  It  had  been 
previously  announced  through  the  papers  that  "  the  Fox 
Family  "  would  appear  at  the  hall,  with  Mr.  Ambler,  who 
would  deliver  a  course  of  lectures,  preparatory  to  our  giv- 
ing seances  at  the  Delavan  House. 

Our  career  was  now  commenced.  After  all  our  resolv- 
ing not  to  go  any  more  before  the  public,  we  had  been 
forced  to  let  the  world  know  what  was  revealed  to  us,  and 
what  was  meant  not  for  us  alone. 

Our  rooms  were  thronged  by  the  elite  of  Albany  and  of 
many  other  places  adjacent.  Our  success  was  great,  as  the 
spirits  had  promised.  We  received  both  public  and  pri- 
vate parties  from  all  parts  of  the  country. 

The  spirits  had  performed  their  parts  admirably  for 
nearly  two  weeks,  when  I  received  a  note  from  the  editor 
of  the  Albany  Morning  Kqrress. 

(It  will  be  remembered  that  at  one  of  the  Itochester  in- 
vestigations, a  Second  Advent  minister  had  deemed  it  his 
duty  to  rise  in  public  and  express  his  idea  that  all  this 
was  of  diabolic  origin,  and  that  ice,  the  mediums,  ought  to 
be  sent  to  prison.  But  the  good  old  days  of  Cotton 
Mather  and  of  the  hangings  at  Salem  were  past,  and  after 
the  conscientious  but  narrow  bigot  resumed  his  seat,  no 
further  notice  was  taken  of  the  good  man  or  of  his  sug- 
gestion. I  may  remark  in  passing,  that  the  spirits  who 
extorted  from  Mr.  MacXaughton  the  Lord's  Prayer,  which 
he  had  been  taught  in  childhood  to  repeat  at  the  knees  of 
his  "  puir  auldmither,''  and  had  converted  him  to  Spiritual- 
ism and  a  belief  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  would 
seem  to  have  been  strange  emissaries  of  Satan.) 

At  Albany  we  met  a  somewhat  similar  experience,  both 
in  the  attempt  made  against  us  and  in  its  results.     A  cer- 


1  L8  THE    MISSING    I.IXK 

tain  respectable  minister,  I  do  not  know  of  what  denom- 
ination, named  I  >r.  Staats,  was  so  far  exercised  in  his  mind 
by  the  reports  of  onr  meetings  at  the  Delavan  House,  that 
lie  applied  to  the  courts  for  a  warrant  for  our  arrest.  I 
had  the  surprise  of  receiving  the  following  note  from  the 
highly  respected  editor  of  the  Morning  Ewj>ress  : 

"  Albany  Morning  Express, 
"May  13,  1850. 

"  ]\Iks.  Fisir :  I  have  just  this  moment  been  called  upon 
by  the  judges  of  the  court  before  whom  Rev.  Dr.  Staats 
would  have  brought  you,  had  he  been  able  so  to  do,  who 
say  they  would  be  pleased  to  call  on  you  this  afternoon,  at 
four  o'clock,  as  they  will  then  be  at  leisure.  Can  you  ac- 
commodate them  ?  I  think  it  will  be  a  grand  move  to 
have  them  witness  the  demonstrations.     I  would  call,  but 

am  so  busy  this    morning  that  even is  out   of  my 

mind. 

"In  great  haste, 

"  Yours  respectfully, 

"  Jacob  C.  Cuyler." 

At  precisely  the  appointed  time  the  expected  party  of 
judges  and  lawyers  arrived,  numbering  seventeen,  all 
men  of  distinction.  They  were  just  and  honest  men,  with 
open,  judicial  minds,  seeking  only  the  truth,  and  not  the 
gratification  of  hostile  prejudices.  The  proprietor  of  the 
house,  Mr.  Iiozelle,  was  ill  in  bed  ;  but  he  rose,  dressed 
himself,  and  went  down  to  meet  the  judicial  party  before 
they  left  his  house.  They  said  to  him,  when  they  left, 
"  It  will  take  wiser  judges  than  we  are  to  pronounce 
against  them." 

The  judges  came  frequently  to  see  us  afterward;  and 
thus,  through  the  liev.  Dr.  Staats's  efforts  to  injure  us,  and 
have  us  arrested  for  "  blasphemy  against  the  holy  scrip- 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  119 

tures,"  a  strong  army  was  raised  up  for  our  protection. 
Aud  this  result  we  found  was  invariably  the  case  through 
all  our  subsequent  public  career. 

"Wherever  and  whenever  an  attempt  was  made  to  show 
to  the  world  that  it  was  not  true,  however  hostile  and 
powerful  the  men  engaged  against  us,  we  always — without 
a  single  exception — were  brought  through  our  difficulties 
in  triumph,  although,  at  times,  we  could  not  see  how  we 
were  to  escape  the  entanglements  often  thrown  around  us. 
We  placed  ourselves  wholly  under  the  directions  of  our 
spirit  friends,  and  invariably  came  out  with  safety  and 
honor,  as  they  told  us  we  should,  if  we  but  acted  our  parts 
faithfully. 

Before  the  time  arrived  for  us  to  leave  Albany,  we  had 
been  deluged  with  letters,  by  reputable  parties,  from  all 
parts  of  the  country,  urging  us  to  come  and  afford  them 
an  opportunity  for  themselves  to  investigate.  Of  course 
we  could  not  comply  with  all  these  requests,  as  we  could 
at  the  time  only  give  attention  to  the  principal  cities. 

During  our  stay  in  Albany  our  rooms  were  thronged 
with  anxious  investigators  from  all  the  neighboring  towns 
and  cities.  We  usually  met  the  higher  order  of  intelli- 
gences ;  as  the  conceited  nabob  and  the  equally  conceited 
representative  of  the  (morally)  lower  classes,  were  seldom 
attracted  to  subjects  beyond  their  comprehension  and 
above  their  sympathies. 

My  books  of  registration  plainly  show  the  class  of  minds 
which  became  interested  in  Spiritualism  at  that  early  day. 
I  shall  preserve  them.  They  should  be  placed  in  some 
historical  library,  BO  that  generations  yet  to  come  may 
realize  the  fact  that  Spiritualism  was  h'rst  sought  after  by 
the  most  enlightened  and  progressive  minds  of  the  nine- 
teenth century. 

I  will  nut  here  record  the  names  of  my  attached  friends 


V20  Tin:    MISSING    LINK 

and  constant  visitors  (with  but  two  exceptions)  of  that 
most  interesting  period — two  remarkable  for  their  ad- 
vanced years  as  well  as  for  their  high  personal  distinction, 
the  liev.  Dr.  Eliphalet  Xott,  President  of  Union  College, 
Schenectady,  and  Mr.  Edward  C.  Delavan,  the  owner 
(though  not  the  proprietor)  of  the  house  at  which  we  re- 
Bided.  The  latter  was  nearly,  if  not  quite,  an  octoge- 
narian, and  certainly  cut  a  somewhat  remarkable  figure  by 
the  side  of  his  young  wife  and  their  baby  of  ten  months. 
On  one  occasion  he  was  so  delighted  with  some  communi- 
cation, addressed  to  him  by  his  pet  name  of  childhood, 
from  his  long-departed  mother,  that  he  was  overflowing 
in  his  expressions  of  gratitude,  and  he  forced  into  my 
hand  a  twenty-dollar  gold  piece.  The  not  less  venerable 
Dr.  Kott  once  laid  his  hand  on  my  head  and  said,  "  My 
child,  I  am  not  far  from  the  time  when  I  shall  go  to  the 
world  of  spirits,  of  which  you  reveal  and  prove  so  much  ; 
and  you  must,  naturally,  long  survive  me  in  the  present 
life ;  but  if  it  shall  be  in  my  power  I  will  strive  to  be  one 
of  your  guardian  spirits." 

This  is  the  proper  place  to  state  the  pecuniary  arrange- 
ment dictated  to  us  by  our  spirit  friends  for  the  support 
and  prosecution  of  this  mission  to  the  world,  which  they 
had  imposed  upon  us.  Our  public  meetings  were  held 
m  Van  Vechten  Hall,  then  the  principal  one  in  Albany. 
Our  suite  of  rooms  in  the  Delavan  was  the  best  in  the 
house.  Of  course  our  expenses  were  very  heavy ;  often 
amounting  to  $150  a  week.  Our  regular  charge  was  si 
each  person,  and,  for  a  private  seance  of  an  hour,  $5 
for  two  or  more  persons.  These  figures  had  been  pre- 
scribed to  us.  We  never  heard  of  any  complaints  of 
dissatisfaction,  on  the  part  of  our  visitors,  with  the  evi- 
dences which  they  used  to  receive;  and  no  language  would 
suffice  to  tell  of  the  hundreds  of  assurances  of  delight  and 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  121 

gratitude,  which  were  the  better  part  of  our  compensation 
for  the  time  thus  absorbed,  and  for  the  fatigue  arid  exhaus- 
tion of  these  labors  under  the  direction  of  our  friends  in 
the  spirit  life. 

EXCURSION    TO   TROY. 

It  is  with  regret  that  I  dismiss  so  briefly,  as  has  been 
doue  above,  our  experiences  in  Albany,  where  we  began 
in  May,  1850,  what  may  be  called  the  first  stage  of  the 
fulfilment  of  our  mission.  I  might  fill  this  volume  with 
my  reminiscences  and  notes  of  them. 

It  wras  on  May  24,  1850,  that  we  left  Albany  and  went 
to  Troy.  Many  Trojans  had  visited  our  rooms  in  Albany, 
and  urged  us  to  spend  a  few  days  in  Troy  before  going 
to  ^s'ew  York.  "We  consented  to  do  so,  much  against 
our  own  wishes,  as  we  had  made  our  arrangements  to  go 
from  Albany  direct  to  Kew  York.  We  were  kindly  re- 
ceived at  the  Troy  House,  and  our  rooms  were  thronged 
as  elsewhere.  Our  success  was  gratifying  to  us  all.  But 
we  were  not  long  permitted  to  enjoy  such  peace  and  pros- 
perity. A  murmur  arose  among  the  "  women,"  whose 
conduct  toward  us  in  Troy  was  cruel  and  unchristianlike. 
They  insinuated  that  if  the  mediums  were  men  their 
husbands  would  not  become  so  deeply  enlisted  in  this  un- 
popular, and,  seemingly,  weird  subject.  They  adopted  the 
absurd  theory  of  toe  and  knee  rapping.  One  lady  espe- 
cially distinguished  herself  by  her  intellectual  antics  in  this 
her  line  of  procedure.  (Her  husband  was  much  younger 
than  herself,  handsome  and  prosperous.)  She  became  vio- 
lent in  her  denunciations.  I  well  knew  that,  with  the  aid 
of  Heaven,  we  could  easily  prove  such  accusations  false. 
\\Y  met  our  combatants  on  their  own  premises.  A  com- 
mittee of  "  investigators  "  was  gotten  up,  composed  of  three 
ladies  and  two  ministers.     We  submitted  to  all  of  their 


122  tup:  missing  link 


suggestive  whims,  and  came  off,  as    usual,  triumphant. 

The  course  and  result  of  this  committee  of  investigation 
induced  many  persons  to  visit  our  rooms  who  had  never 
before  been  interested  in  the  subject.  We  made  many 
life  friends  in  Troy,  and  left  promising  to  visit  them  soon 
again  (which  we  did  a  few  mouths  later). 

The  evening  before  we  left  we  were  honored  by  a  band 
of  music  in  front  of  the  Troy  House.  The  proprietor, 
Mr.  Coleman,  and  General  Yiele  came  to  our  rooms  and 
announced  the  fact,  saying,  "  Ladies,  this  is  expressly  for 
you/'  He  accompanied  us  to  the  balcony,  where,  with  un- 
covered heads,  the  crowd  saluted  us  with  their  hearty  ap- 
plause of  approbation.  The  following  evening  we  took  the 
night  boat  from  Albany,  and  were  soon  on  the  beautiful 
Hudson  wending  our  way  to  the  city  of  ISTew  York. 

But  as  this  chapter  is  so  short,  I  may  as  well,  at  the  ex- 
pense of  chronology  in  my  narrative,  anticipate  a  few 
months,  to  introduce  here  a  serious  adventure  which  befell 
my  young  child-sister  Margaretta,  or  Maggie,  at  this  same 
city  of  Troy,  or  rather  West  Troy,  in  the  following  month 
of  Kovember,  1850.  It  is  a  curious  illustration  of  the 
desperate  bitterness  of  feeling  which  arose  in  some  por- 
tions of  the  more  ignorant  classes  in  some  of  our  Ameri- 
can communities. 

In  it  we  see  a  striking  revival  of  the  old  Salem  (and 
mediaeval)  spirit  of  animosity  against  the  so-called  "  witch- 
craft;" a  spirit  which  was  perhaps  stimulated  by  the  same 
mistaken  and  misguided  religious  zeal  which  some  couple 
of  centuries  before  had  hurried  to  the  stake,  the  scaffold, 
or  the  nearest  pond  or  river,  many  a  poor  victim  to  the  un- 
happy and  misunderstood  gift  of  what  we  now  know  as 
mediuinship.  In  the  month  of  November,  1850,  a  mob 
attempt  was  made  to  destroy  the  life  of  Margaretta  while 
visiting  at  the  house  of  Mr.  lv.  M.  Bouton.    The  mob  was 


^AL  TO 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  123 

composed  of  a  very  low  order  of  society,  and  were  urged 
to  do  the  work  by  prompters,  who  kept  themselves  in  the 
background.  Though  not  on  the  same  scale  of  dimen- 
sions in  numbers,  mother  and  I  at  a  later  day  concurred  in 
recognizing  in  the  riotous  mob  in  New  York,  in  July,  1863, 
features  in  the  conduct  of  the  men  and  women  (the  latter 
seemed  not  less  savage  than  the  former)  that  curiously  re- 
minded us  of  the  terrible  scenes  of  West  Troy.  They 
had  evidently  been  put  up  to  regard  this  communication 
with  spirits  as  deviltry  which  it  was  right  and  proper  to 
crush  out  even  by  taking  our  lives.  They  doubtless  sup- 
posed, that  by  destroying  our  lives  the  whole  matter  would 
be  put  to  rest.  Accordingly  her  (MargarettaVs  every 
movement  was  watched,  so  that  it  was  not  safe  for  her  to 
leave  the  house  unattended.  Finally  the  house  was  forci- 
bly attacked ;  but  being  well  barricaded  and  garrisoned 
the  '  fort  was  held '  and  the  assassins  were  not  successful. 
The  following  letter  from  Mr.  Bouton  will  explain  the 
facts : 

"  West  Troy,  November  13,  1850. 

u  My  dear  Mbs.  Fish  :  AVe  are  endeavoring  to  make 
arrangements  for  Maggie  to  go  to  another  place.  If  she 
has  mentioned  the  name  of  the  place  to  you,  keep  it  a 
secret  as  you  value  her  life.  A  deep  plot  is  laid  to  de- 
stroy her.  My  house  is  beset  every  night  by  a  most  de- 
termined murderous  mob ;  and  we  guard  her  every  mo- 
ment. "We  think  if  we  can  place  her  where  we  wish  to,  she 
will  be  safe.  I  shall  defend  her  and  her  reputation  at  the 
risk  of  my  fortune  and  my  life.  I  will  advise  you  of  our 
progress;  suppress  the  name  of  tbe  place,  ii:  you  can.  I 
write  with  difficulty,  not  having  rested  for  several  nights. 
Fivd  villanousdooking  fellows  are  watching  the  house 
night  ami  day.  She  has  never  left  my  honse unattended, 
which  has  foiled   them  thus  far.     On  returning  late  from 


124  THE   MISSING   LINK 

Easl  Troy,  a  few  nights  past,  with  my  wife,  her  sister, 
Maggie,  and  myself,  in  our  family  coach,  when  we  reached 
the  river  we  found  no  boat.  The  five  men  above  men- 
tioned were  there,  and  they  tried  to  persuade  my  driver  to 
go  by  the  way  of  the  long  Troy  bridge  (a  glorious  place 
for  murder).  AVe  did  not  go,  but  they  followed  us  home, 
and  after  we  had  retired  attempted  to  break  into  the  room 
occupied  by  Margaretta  and  my  sister-in-law.  They  were 
furious  on  being  defeated,  and  threw  stones  against  the 
house  and  fired  through  the  windows.  I  have  procured 
means  of  defence,  but  we  cannot  sleep  nights,  and  get 
very  little  rest  during  the  days.  They  will,  no  doubt,  re- 
turn again  to-night,  but  they  will  meet  a  warm  reception, 
as  many  of  our  friends  from  East  Troy  will  be  with  us. 
Last  night  Mrs.  B.  and  Maggie  went  to  the  door  of  a  shed 
in  the  rear  together;  but  the  fiends  were  on  the  watch 
ami  fired  at  them,  with  angry  exclamations  at  there  being 
some  one  with  her.     They  were  all  large,  strong  men.'' 

A  postscript  to  this  letter,  dated  the  next  day,  says : 

"  As  I  feared,  the  men  did  return  last  night,  and  broke 
into  the  house  ;  but  we  were  prepared  for  them,  and  they 
did  not  effect  any  thing,     Come  immediately,  if  you  can."' 

The  mob  increased  on  the  following  night  (Saturday), 
and  on  Sunday  I  received  five  telegraphic  despatches  to 
come  to  Troy,  as  follows: 

"  Rochester,  November  1G,  1850. 

"  This  despatch  has  been  received  from  West  Troy  for 
Mrs.  A.  Leah  Fish. 

"  Send  your  mother  here,  or  come  yourself,  by  Monday 
night.  It  is  of  vital  importance.  Answer  by  telegraph 
at  once. 

-  R.  M.  Bouton." 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  125 

On  receipt  of  this  telegram  I  immediately  telegraphed 
to  know  its  meaning,  and  received  the  following  in  reply : 

"  Rochester,  November  16,  1850. 
"  This  despatch  has  just  been  received  from  West  Troy 
for  Mb&  A.  Leah  Fish. 

"  You  must  be  here  by  Monday  night,  lSth  inst.  It  is 
of  vital  importance. 

"  R  M.  Bouton." 

I  then  telegraphed  back  to  Mr.  B.  begging  him  to  ex- 
plain the  situation  of  my  sister,  when  immediately  I  re- 
ceived the  following  : 

"  Rochester,  November  17,  1850. 
"  This  despatch  lias  just  been  received  from  West  Troy. 
"  Mrs.  A.  Leah  Fisn  : 

"  Your  sister  is  alive  and  well,  but  in  great  danger. 
Safe  at  present. 

"  R.  M.  Bouton." 

I  started  for  Troy  on  the  first  train  East  the  next  morn- 
ing. When  I  reached  Schenectady  I  had  to  change  cars 
for  Troy. 

I  had  just  taken  a  seat,  at  about  the  middle  of  the  car, 
when  a  rough-looking  man  sat  down  beside  me,  and  com- 
menced interrogating  me  as  to  where  I  was  going,  etc.  I 
endeavored  to  be  civil,  but  I  suspected  him  of  having  some- 
thing to  do  with  the  mob.  After  a  while  he  left  and  held 
a  long  conversation  with  two  men,  near  the  front  of  the 
car,  very  like  himself  in  appearance,  and  soon  returned, 
taking  his  seat  beside  me  again.  I  had  moved  to  the 
other  end  of  the  seat,  and  maintained  my  position,  thereby 
c«  impelling  him  to  press  through  in  front  of  me  with  some 
difficulty.  When  again  he  attempted  to  speak  to  me  I 
took  up  my  satchel  and  left  the  seat  entirely  to  himself. 


12G  THE   MISSING   LINK 

He  again  followed  me,  but  this  time  I  braced  myself  up 
and  railed  the  conductor  (who  had  been  watching  his  be- 
havior all  the  way),  and  requested  him  to"  compel  this  man 
to  leave,"  which  he  did  immediately. 

There  were  very  few  persons  in  the  car;  I  think  not 
more  than  seven  in  all.  It  was  evident  that  he  had  a  de- 
sign against  me  ;  but  lie  expected  to  meet  an  older  person, 
and  was  thrown  off  his  course  by  my  youthful  appearance. 
He  had  doubtless  expected  to  meet  mother.  They  had 
made  inquiries  of  a  passenger  who  had  taken  the  car  from 
Schenectady,  and  who  afterward  told  Mr.  B.  that  those 
men  said  they  were  expecting  to  meet  a  lady  from  Ro- 
chester ;  but  that  she  was  older  than  the  lady  on  the  car,  etc. 

It  had  been  arranged  that  I  should  stop  at  the  Troy 
House  on  my  arrival  at  East  Troy.  It  was  eight  o'clock 
p.m.,  and  very  dark.  As  I  stepped  out  of  the  car  on  to 
the  platform,  I  saw  a  carriage  standing  in  front  of  the 
hotel,  and  supposed  it  was  for  me,  as  had  been  previously 
arranged.  At  this  moment  a  gentleman  stepped  up,  and 
after  a  close  scrutiny  said  to  me  : 

"  I  am  right,  it  is  Leah  ;  I  know  you  by  your  resem- 
blance to  Maggie,"  and  motioning  me  to  silence. 

Another  gentleman  stepped  on  my  other  side,  and  they 
guarded  me  to  the  carriage  each  with  a  drawn  revolver. 
On  entering  the  carriage  I  saw  three  loaded  pistols  lying 
on  the  seat  in  front  of  me.  It  is  difficult  to  say  which  I 
most  feared,  the  mob  or  the  pistols.  The  religious  tele- 
graphic operator  had  evidently  revealed  the  correspond- 
ence between  Mr.  Bouton  and  myself,  as  there  was  no 
other  source  through  which  it  could  have  been  made 
known  that  I  was  expected. 

A  number  of  disorderly  persons  followed  the  carriage 
and  crossed  the  ferry  with  us.  Xo  attempt  was  made  to 
disturb  us  ;  but  on  reaching  Mr.  B.'s  house  we  found  it  sur- 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  127 

rounded  by  a  reinforced  mob.  I  had  been  instructed  how 
to  conduct  myself  on  our  arrival.  I  was  told  that  two  or 
three  gentlemen  would  rush  from  the  door  and  suddenly 
cany  me  in.  Accordingly,  when  the  carriage  stopped  close 
to  the  door  steps  I  found  myself  in  the  arms  of  three  strong 
men,  who  landed  me  safely.  I  found  Maggie  sick  and 
nearly  paralyzed  with  fright.  There  were  strong-armed 
forces  for  protection  on  our  side.  We  had  not  been  in  the 
house  ten  minutes  when  several  shots  were  fired  and  stones 
thrown,  breaking  everything  in  their  way.  We  crouched 
beneath  the  furniture,  and  lay  on  the  floor  to  escape  the 
bullets,  expecting  at  every  moment  some  stray  shot  or 
stone  would  strike  us.  (Our  hiding-room  was  in  the  in- 
terior of  the  house.)  The  mob  threatened  and  did  all  in 
their  power  to  destroy  us ;  but,  knowing  the  gentlemen 
inside  were  so  well  prepared  for  them,  they  retired  for  the 
night.  They,  however,  continued  their  watchfulness "\mtil 
we  left  the  place.  Mr.  Bouton's  house  stood  in  the  out- 
skirts of  West  Troy,  near  a  lumber  yard,  a  capital  hiding- 
place  for  a  mob,  and  I  am  not  sure  there  were  any  police- 
men there  at  that  time.  Poor  Maggie's  nerves  were 
terribly  unstrung.  She  would  start  in  her  sleep  and  cry 
out  fearfully,  believing  she  was  still  besieged  by  the  mob. 
She  was  too  ill  to  be  taken  home,  and  I  managed  (with 
the  aid  of  friends)  to  get  her  to  Albany,  where  we  re- 
mained several  weeks  at  the  Delavan  House.  During  our 
stay  in  Albany,  the  identical  men  who  met  me  and  fol- 
lowed me  from  Schenectady  to  West  Troy  were  prowling 
about  my  home  in  Rochester.  All  the  circumstances  con- 
nected with  the  affair  show  conclusively  that  there  was  a 
deep-laid  scheme  to  destroy  us,  and  that  these  men  had 
been  appointed  to  accomplish  that  object ;  but,  like  every 
other  attempt  at  violence  against  us,  they  met  with  nothing 
but  discomfiture. 


128  THE   MISSING   LINK 


CHAPTER  X. 

NEW  YORK.    1850. 

"  The  Rochester  Knockings  at  Barntm's  Hotel  " — Hard  Work 
— Our  Visitors — A  Poisoned  Bouquet — Hair  op  the  Emperor 
Napoleon  I. — Hair  of  John  C.  Calhoun — Investigation  at 
Residence  of  Rev.  Rufus  W.  Griswold,  by  the  Leadpng 
Literary  Celebrities  of  New  York. 

flust  visit  to  new  york. 

We  arrived  in  New  York  City  on  June  4,  1850,  and 
had  engaged  rooms  at  Barnum's  Hotel,  corner  of  Broad- 
way and  Maiden  Lane.  (This  proprietor  must  not  be  con- 
founded with  the  great  showman  of  that  name.) 

Horace  Greeley  was  our  first  caller.  He  advised  us  to 
charge  live  dollars  admission  fee.  I  told  him  that  would 
be  altogether  too  much  ;  but  he  feared  greatly  for  our 
safety,  and  thought  this  exorbitant  sum  would  keep  the 
rabble  away.  I  told  him  I  thought  it  decidedly  better  to 
follow  the  directions  of  the  Spirits,  and  trust  in  Providence 
for  protection  and  success.  He  announced  our  arrival  in 
the  Tribune,  and  published  our  rules  of  order.  The  edi- 
tors of  the  Tribune  and  many  other  papers  were  in  our 
rooms  daily.  Mr.  Eipley  used  to  say  to  us:  "Ladies,  you 
are  the  lions  of  New  York."  Mary  Taylor,  in  a  Broadway 
theatre,  sweetly  sang  "  The  Rochester  Knockings.  at  Bar- 
nam's  Hotel,'1  as  a  popular  topic  of  the  day.  Many  things 
in  stores,  on  sidewalks,  and  newspaper  advertisements, 
were  paraded  and  labelled  with  the  words  "  Rochester 
Knockings." 

What  a  time,  to  be  sure,  we  had  of  it  during  that  first 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  129 

visit,  of  nearly  three  months,  to  the  great  metropolis! 
Our  party  was  seven  in  number.  Our  parlor  was  a  large 
room  opposite  to  the  main  one  of  the  hotel,  from  which  it 
was  separated  by  a  wide  corridor.  A  long  table  with 
thirty  seats  occupied  the  centre  of  it,  and  we  gave  three 
receptions  each  day,  for  which  our  advertised  hours  were  : 
10  to  12  a.m.,  3  to  5  p.m.,  and  8  to  10  p.m.  ;  but  the  mid- 
day meeting  would  often  lengthen  out  till  we  had  barely 
time  to  get  ready  for  dinner,  and  the  evening  one  to  mid- 
night. The  public  parlors  served  as  ante-rooms,  in  which 
visitors  waited  their  turns  to  be  admitted  by  one  of  our  at- 
tendant gentlemen.  Private  sittings  were  often  extorted 
from  us  by  importunity,  which  would  begin  at  the  earliest 
hours  before  breakfast.  "With  what  degree  of  exhaustion 
of  muscles,  nerves,  mind  and  spirit,  we  would  reach  our 
beds  (in  our  rooms  on  the  floor  above),  where  sleep  was 
often  slow  to  come  to  our  over-strained  systems,  may  be 
imagined  by  my  readers.  The  mere  pressure  upon  us  of 
the  three  successive  crowds  would,  alone,  have  been  a 
strain  hard  to  bear;  but  every  individual  had  his  or  her 
colloquies  to  be  held  with  their  respective  Spirit  friends. 
The  burthen  of  it  fell  upon  us  all,  but  most  heavily  upon 
our  dear  mother,  who  took  it  so  deeply  to  heart  when  she 
knew  we  were  so  unjustly  suspected  and  so  severely  tested. 
She  was  of  course  always  present  with  us,  but  only  as  a 
spectator  and  for  protection.  Ministers  of  all  denomina- 
tions, members  of  all  professions,  legal,  medical,  literary, 
and  commercial,  were  among  our  guests,  and  many  of  them 
were  frequent  visitors.  The  occasions  were  rare  when  the 
slightest  want  of  courtesy,  respect,  and  kindness  occurred 
to  wound  or  displease  us;  and  the  only  thing  approaching 
an  indignity  we  had  to  complain  of  among  ourselves,  was 
the  frequency  with  which  committees  of  ladies  would  retire 
with  us  to  disrobe  and  reclotheus,  theholding  of  our  feet,  etc. 


130  THE   MISSING   LINK 

Among  the  thousands  of  strangers  who  streamed 
through  our  rooms,  I,  of  course,  could  know  or  remember 
the  names  of  but  few  individuals  ;  and  many  an  one  had 
his  or  her  designation  by  which  we  used  to  recognize  them, 
as— the  White  Spirit,  or  the  Black,  or  the  Gray,  the  Count, 
the  Slick  Wig,  the  Old  Oriental,  the  Hippopotamus,  etc., 
etc.  By  the  way,  the  Count  was  also  an  elderly  gentleman 
with  white  hair  and  angelic  eyes,  a  foreigner,  who  at  part- 
ing made  me  a  present  of  a  set  of  old  china  of  extreme 
rarity,  for  which  I  have  since  refused  a  dealer's  offer  of 
a  thousand  dollars,  and  which  I  still  employ  at  parties 
and  fetes,  and  particular  occasions,  and  always  with  a  kind 
thought  of  the  dear  old  donor.  The  summer  season  of 
travel,  of  course,  brought  many  Southerners  to  our  rooms, 
as  well  as  visitors  from  other  cities  of  the  Union. 

We  again  passed  through  an  ordeal  of  special  investiga- 
tion by  a  large  committee  of  the  first  men  of  New  York, 
in  scientific  and  literary,  as  well  as  social  distinction,  which 
took  place  at  the  residence  of  the  Rev.  Kufus  W.  Gris- 
wold,  for  some  account  of  which,  and  the  signal  triumph 
in  which  it  resulted,  I  refer  to  a  letter  which  will  be  found 
further  on,  and  which  was  extensively  republished. 

Only  one  very  painful  thing  occurred  :  an  anonymous 
present  made  to  me  of  a  large,  superb  bouquet  of  flowers, 
the  smelling  of  which  nearly  cost  me  my  life.  I  was 
thought  to  be  at  death's  door ;  and  a  week  had  passed  be- 
fore I  fully  recovered  from  the  effect.  Spirits  told  us  that 
it  had  proceeded  from  the  malignity  of  a  hostile  quarter, 
and  that  the  bouquet  was  poisoned. 

I  have  always  had  a  peculiar  sensitiveness  to  poison  ;  and 
could  not  even  now,  in  the  open  air,  pass  near  to  certain 
growing  plants,  such  as  poison  ivy,  without  suffering  sen- 
sibly from  their  vicinity. 

There  was  another  occasion  on  which  evil  was  not  only 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  131 

intended,  but  attempted,  by  some  who  falsely  believed  they 
were  doing  God  service  by  breaking  up  the  "  pestilent 
Rochester  knockings."  We,  too,  had  our  case  of  a 
"prophet"  (Isaiah)  sent  to  curse,  but  who  remained  to 
bless.  Our  "  prophet,"  of  whom  this  was  true,  was  none 
other  than  the  famous  Captain  I.  Rynders,  well  known  as 
the  Captain  of  the  Empire  Club — a  Democratic  party  or- 
ganization of  "  fighting  men,"  the  counterpoise  to  a  corre- 
sponding body  on  the  other  side  of  politics.  These  rival 
corps  had,  originally,  for  their  business  the  breaking  up  of 
the  meetings  of  the  adverse  party,  or  to  defend  those  of 
their  own  party  against  similar  attacks  from  the  opposite 
fighting  corps.  Captain  Rynders,  though  a  rather  slender 
man,  was  one  of  such  pluck,  energy,  and  resolution,  that 
his  very  name  came  to  represent  a  real  power  in  Xew 
York.  His  politics,  in  which  he  was  very  zealous,  made 
him  (as  most  men  of  that  day  were,  on  both  sides)  very 
hostile  to  "  the  Abolitionists,"  many  a  meeting  of  whom 
the  Empire  Club  had  broken  up  after  the  most  summary 
of  fashions,  namely,  through  windows  as  well  as  doors. 
One  day  three  men,  one  of  them  of  Herculean  proportions, 
with  his  shirt-collar  wide  open,  sailor  fashion,  on  a  brown 
sunburnt  neck,  entered  our  parlor,  after  payment  of  their 
regular  fee  outside,  and  took  their  seats  together;  the 
Hercules  next  to  me.  His  appearance  was  every  way  for- 
midable. A  certain  slight  commotion  was  manifest  in  the 
company  on  their  entrance.  I  soon  received  from  three  dif- 
ferent friends  in  the  room  (Mr.  Greeley,  George  Ripley, 
and  another)  little  billets  warning  me  against  "  the  most 
dangerous  man  in  Xew  York" — whose  appearance  "por- 
tended evil,"  and  telling  me  to  be  "  extremely  careful  "  of 
all  I  should  say  and  do,  etc.  One  lady  bent  over  me  from 
behind,  handed  me  a  bit  of  paper  which  spoke  of  "  black 
danger  clouds,"  and  a  row  as  being  imminent  from  "those 


L33  TTIE  MISSING  LINK 

men,"  and  then  made  her  escape  into  one  of  the  more  re- 
mote  parlors  of  the  hotel.  But  they  sat  quietly  as  observ- 
ers. There  were  several  clergymen  in  the  company,  one  of 
them  being  the  celebrated  Dr.  Phelps,  of  Stratford,  Conn. 
There  were  at  the  table  also  two  elderly,  tall,  thin,  and  pale 
Quaker  maiden  ladies,  a  little  ghostly  perhaps  in  appear- 
ance, one  of  whom  presently  addressed  to  the  Spirits  the 
question,  "Which  is  the  more  correct,  the  Bible  or  Andrew 
Jackson  Davis's  Revelations? "  To  this  came  many  raps, 
which  were  differently  understood  around  the  table,  ac- 
cording to  the  various  opinions.  It  made  quite  a  sensation. 
I  rose  and  said  that  those  raps  were  not  an  answer  to  the 
question,  but  a  call  for  the  alphabet,  which  I  proceeded  to 
repeat  aloud  as  usual.  The  answer  returned  was  :  "  The 
Bible  contains  many  true  and  beautiful  things,  and  so  also 
does  Davis's  Revelations,"  a  reply  which  Dr.  Phelps  con- 
sidered a  good  and  wise  one.  1  presently  invited  one  of 
my  three  neighbors  (not  the  Herculean  one)  to  the  door, 
which  I  opened,  and  he  was  made  to  hear  loud  rappings 
on  the  wooden  panels,  and  also  on  the  marble  flooring. 

My  real  object  was  to  conciliate  him  as  being  one  of  the 
party  of  "  danger  clouds,"  though  he  was  not  the  one  who 
had  been  the  object  of  my  terror.  "  What  is  the  meaning 
of  this  ?  "  he  said.  "  llave  you  anything  to  do  with  the 
Rochester  knoekings?  I  thought  those  two  white  old 
maids  were  the  ones.  I  was  sent  here  by  a  religious 
society  to  break  it  all  up,  and  drive  it  out  of  New  York, 
as  I  did  last  week  with  Fred.  Douglass  and  Julia  Griffith, 
and  their  sets  of  Abolitionists."  I  told  him  he  had  been 
very  wrong  in  doing  so,  and  that  those  ladies  were  strang- 
ers here,  as  he  and  his  friends  were.  "  What,  are  you 
the  Rochester  knockers  ? "  "  Yes."  "  Why,  I  thought  you 
were  older.  Ain't  you  afraid  of  me  ?  What,  these  chil- 
dren !  "     "  No,  I  am  not  a  bit  afraid  of  you,"  I  repeated, 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  133 

though  in  my  secret  heart  I  was  dreadfully  afraid  of  the 
other  man.  ""Well,  I  am  Captain  Iiynders — haven't  you 
heard  of  me  ?  "  "  Yes,  I  have,  but  I  am  not  afraid  of 
you.'"  lie  took  a  seat  at  the  table,  and  I  invited  him  to 
ask  some  questions  of  some  friends  of  his  in  the  Spirit 
world.  He  asked  a  brother  of  his  where  he  had  died — 
"  In  California,"  was  the  correct  reply.  "  Of  what  dis- 
ease ? "  To  this  also  he  got  a  reply,  which,  with  a  strong 
blow  of  his  fist  on  the  table,  he  admitted  to  be  correct. 

Captain  Iiynders  was  now  our  friend,  and  a  good  and 
gallant  one  he  proved.  He  made  the  Herald  publish  a 
long  account  of  it  in  our  favor;  the  only  occasion  of  its 
doing  anything  of  the  kind.  He  said  that  nobody  should 
molest  us  ;  that  he  saw  no  reason  why  it  should  be  done, 
and  he  emphasized  this  with  a  strong  blow  upon  the  table, 
lie  was  indeed  surprised  that  we  were  the  mediums  ;  he 
had  supposed  them  to  be  the  old  Quaker  women  over 
there  (alas,  poor  good  souls !).  My  relations  soon  be- 
came equally  comfortable  with  his  big  friend  also,  of 
whom  I  had  been  so  afraid.  A  letter  for  me  was  brought 
in  and  laid  on  the  table  between  him  and  me.  I  noticed 
that  he  seemed  to  observe  the  direction  on  it  some- 
what closely.  I  presently  handed  the  letter  over  to 
mother,  saying,  "  Here  is  a  letter  from  our  dear  friend 
Maria  Rogers."  Said  my  big  neighbor,  "  Why,  where  did 
you  ever  know  Maria  Rogers?"  "In  Albany,  at  the  Dela- 
van  House,  where  her  husband  had  some  business  position. 
She  is  one  of  the  sweetest  women  I  ever  knew,  and  I  love 
her  dearly.  She  was  also  very  beautiful."  "She  is  all 
that  you  say,"  was  his  reply,  "  and  she  is  my  own  darling 
sister."  The  letter  proved  to  be  an  invitation  to  spend 
Sunday  with  her  at  the  Oceanic  House.  I  had  no  further 
fear  of  her  big  brother,  who,  together  with  Captain  Iiyn- 
ders, would  certainly  have  pitched  all  the  rest  of  the  com- 


134  THE   MISSING   LINK 


pany  out  of  the  window  in  our  defence,  had  it  been 
necessary.  Such  was  the  conversion  of  our  "prophet," 
from  the  cursing  for  which  he  had  been  commissioned,  to 
blessings.  I  have  since  been  assured  by  those  who  knew 
him,  that  Captain  Rynders  was  really  a  good  man  at 
heart,  with  other  manly  qualities  besides  his  courage,  not- 
withstanding his  animosity  against  the  Abolitionists  of 
that  period,  and  others  against  whom  the  energies  of  the 
Empire  Club  had  been  directed  by  his  party.  I  have 
some  reason  to  believe  that  he  has  been  a  happier  man 
from  tiiat  time  than  before.  I  was  sincerely  glad  to  see 
him  a  few  weeks  ago,  when  he  called  on  me,  by  my  re- 
quest, to  compare  notes  upon  our  reminiscences  of  this  ad- 
venture, and  I  was  indeed  astonished  to  hear  so  young  a 
looking  man  avow  that  he  was  now  eighty  years  of 
age. 

At  all  our  seances  the  general  character  of  the  manifes- 
tations was  that  all  present  heard  the  explosive  sounds  or 
"  knockings,"  whose  significance  resided  in  their  corre- 
spondence with  the  letters  of  the  alphabet ;  while  each  in 
succession  had  the  opportunity  of  communicating  with  his 
own  friends  in  the  spirit  life.  Nor  do  I  believe  that  a 
single  person  passed  through  the  experience  of  one  of 
those  meetings  who  was  not  satisfied,  in  his  own  sincere 
mind,  that  we  had  nothing  of  physical  relation  to  their 
production,  and  that  no  conceivable  mundane  means  could 
have  produced  them. 

Though  in  our  own  domestic  experience  remarkable 
phenomena  of  the  physical  order  had  often  been  produced 
by  the  Spirits,  such,  for  instance,  as  the  rising  of  objects 
in  the  air,  including  our  own  persons,  etc.,  yet  nothing  of 
this  kind  occurred  at  these  meetings,  beyond  the  phenom- 
enon of  the  sitters  being  touched,  sometimes  caressingly, 
by  invisible  hands,  or  having  their  garments  pulled,  or  their 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  135 

chairs  or  the  table  moved — which  were  frequent  experi- 
ences to  our  visitors. 

I  cannot  afford  the  space  for  numerous  individual  inci- 
dents of  interest  which  occurred  at  those  meetings,  but 
will  mention  one,  which  is  not  likely  to  be  forgotten  by 
some  of  the  witnesses  to  it,  who  may  perhaps  read  this 
page.  A  stranger  came  one  day,  of  evident  distinction  and 
advanced  years,  French,  though  speaking  English  ;  I  have 
a  vague  impression  that  he  was  a  diplomatist.  lie  had 
with  him  a  friend.  He  produced  a  folded  paper  or  enve- 
lope, and  asked  if  the  Spirits  could  tell  him  what  it  con- 
tained. The  answer  promptly  came,  "  A  piece  of  the  hair 
of  the  Emperor  Xapoleon."  This  naturally  arrested  the 
eager  attention  of  all  the  company.  I  trembled  with  doubt 
and  fear  of  a  failure.  The  old  gentleman  opened  the 
paper  and  held  up  a  small  piece  of  hair,  and,  with  tears  in 
his  eyes  and  quivering  lips,  said — either  he  had  been  one 
of  those  who  accompanied  Xapoleon  on  his  voyage  to  St. 
Helena,  or  that  he  was  a  friend  of  the  physician  who  had 
accompanied  him.  After  this  lapse  of  time  I  am  not  cer- 
tain which,  but  something  was  said  about  the  physician. 
He  told  how  on  an  occasion  of  his  hair  being  cut  by  the 
barber,  the  fallen  pieces  had  been  religiously  gathered  up, 
and  this  was  one  of  them.  Turning  to  his  friend  who  had 
come  with  him,  he  said,  "  I  did  not  need  this  evidence,  but 
this  test  is  evidently  intended  for  you  ;  "  and  then  explained 
that  in  the  morning  his  friend,  who  was  an  entire  unbe- 
liever, had  said,  in  reference  to  their  intended  visit  to  us, 
that  if  we  were  subjected  to  that  test,  and  if  it  should  be 
told  what  were  the  contents  of  the  envelope,  he  would  be  a 
believer  too.  I  remember  that  Mr.  Greeley  and  Mr.  Rip- 
lrv.  <>f  the  Trilntne,  were  present.  If  this  should  fall  under 
the  eye  of  any  survivors  of  that,  scene,  I  should  be  ["leased 
to  hear  from  them.     None  present  can  have  forgotten  it. 


136  THE  MISSING   LINK 


There  were  a  number  of  somewhat  similar  cases  of 
treasured  locks  of  hair  being  thus  identified  by  those  who 
had  worn  them  in  life,  but  though  there  are  many  whose 
hair  is  thus  preserved  by  faithful  memories,  there  has  been 
but  one  Napoleon  the  Great. 

However,  I  will  further  add  that  if  there  was  but  one 
Napoleon  I.,  there  was  also  but  one  John  C.  Calhoun.  One 
day  a  Southern  gentleman  was  at  the  table,  and,  having 
heard  of  the  above  incident  respecting  the  great  Emperor, 
produced  and  laid  down  his  pocket-book,  asking  to  know 
one  thing  it  contained.  "  Hair  of  John  C.  Calhoun,"  was 
the  reply.  He  acknowledged  its  truth,  and  exhibited  the 
loclc. 

During  this  our  first  visit  to  New  York  occurred  an- 
other "  investigation  "  by  a  number  of  the  most  eminent 
literary  and  commercial  gentlemen  of  that  city,  at  the  resi- 
dence of  the  Rev.  Rufus  W.  Griswold.  It  included  such 
men  as  J.  Fenimore  Cooper,  George  Bancroft,  Rev.  Dr. 
Hawks,  Dr.  JohnW.  Francis,  William  Cullen  Bryant,  Na- 
thaniel P.  Willis,  Dr.  Marcy,  and  others.  It  had  its  origin 
with  the  Dr.  C.  D.  Griswold,  M.D.  (our  friend  at  Rochester, 
mentioned  on  a  former  page),  who  came  down  to  New 
York  expressly  to  propose  it  to  us,  telling  us  that  the  high 
position  of  his  brother,  Rufus  W.,  would  enable  him  to 
unite  for  that  purpose  the  best  elements  which  the  great 
metropolis  could  afford.  We  were  only  too  glad  to  comply 
with  so  kind  and  friendly  a  suggestion.  In  the  wilderness 
of  my  papers  I  do  not  find  the  full  records  of  that  inter- 
esting occasion,  of  which  no  full  formal  report  was  ever  is- 
sued; but  I  well  remember  that  it  was  highly  satisfactory 
to  ourselves  and  our  friends.  All  the  testings  desired, 
such  as  making  us  stand  on  cushions,  etc.,  were  exhausted. 
I  recollect  that  Fenimore  Cooper  addressed  an  immense 
number  of  questions  to  Spirits  (my  impression  is  a  hundred 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  137 

and  fifty),  and  received  correct  replies.  I  find  among 
some  newspaper  scraps  a  long  editorial  in  a  Sunday  paper, 
by  its  junior  editor,  written  in  the  full  vein  of  hostile  per- 
siflage usual  at  that  time  with  the  press,  dependent  for  ex- 
istence on  its  subscription  lists,  the  following  as  its  con- 
clusion : 

"  Since  writing  the  above,  we  have  read  in  the  Tbibune 
an  account  of  an  interview  between  the  Spirits'1  interpreters 
and  Mr.  J.  Fenimore  Cooper,  Mr.  George  Bancroft,  Rev. 
Dr.  Hawks,  Dr.  Francis,  Mr.  Wm.  Cullen  Bryant,  Mi-.  X. 
P.  Willis,  Dr.  Marcy,  and  other  literary  celebrities,  at  the 
rooms  of  the  Rev.  Doctor  Griswold.  The  responses  given 
to  several  of  these  gentlemen,  as  reported  in  the  Tribune, 
were  most  extraordinary  ;  and  yet — infidel  that  we  are  ! — 
these  replies  have  not  shaken  our  obstinate  incredulity. 

"  Our  senses  are  the  only  witnesses  we  will  consent  to 
trust  in  relation  to  phenomena  which,  if  really  super- 
natural, would  upset,  among  other  tilings,  the  Christian 
Religion,*  and  the  verdict  of  our  senses  upon  all  the  per- 
formances which  have  come  under  our  observation." 

Any  reader  desirous  of  examining  the  Tribune's  report 
above  alluded  to,  can  easily  find  it  in  the  files  of  that  paper 
for  1850.  I  content  myself,  for  brevity's  sake,  with  the 
following  extract  from  Mr.  Capron's  volume  on  "  Spirit- 
ualism: Its  Facts  and  Fanaticisms,"  etc.  (1855),  page  172 : 

*  This  is  a  mistake  or  misrepresentation  frequent  with  those  who  re- 
gard dogmatic  "  orthodoxy  "  (according  to  the  title  it  claims)  as  the  true 
and  the  only  ' '  Christian  Religion. "  All  Spirits  indeed  reject  the  dogmas 
of  the  eternal  hell-fire,  of  total  depravity,  of  vicarious  atonement,  of  any- 
thing but  One  Supreme  Spirit  or  God,  ami  of  the  literal  plenary  inspiration 
of  the  Bible  ;  but  a  vast  body  of  the  mo?-t  enlightened  Spiritualists  (I  be- 
lieve the  bulk  of  them)  devoutly  cherish  tin  Christianity  taught,  lived, 
ami  dit  l  for  by  Christ  himself  ;  and  a  pamphlet  by  a  well-known  and  pop- 
ular Spiritualist  is  rightly  entitled  "  Christ  the  Corner-Stone  of  Spiritu- 
alism."— Ed. 


138  THE   MISSING  LINK 

"  But    curiosity   had  so  far  obtained  the  mastery   of 

bigoted  opposition  as  to  lead  many  of  the  most  eminent 
men  of  the  city  to  give  the  subject  a  fair  investigation. 
The  result  was,  as  elsewhere,  the  making  of  many  con- 
verts ;  and  these  were  not  from  among  men  of  inferior 
intellects  or  of  unbalanced  minds. 

"  Xot  long  after  the  arrival  of  the  mediums,  a  number 
of  literary  gentlemen  assembled  at  the  house  of  Rev. 
Dr.  Griswold,  an  Episcopalian  clergyman,  in  Broadway. 
Neither  of  the  sisters  Fox  had  ever  been  at  the  house  be- 
fore, and  the  meeting  was  called  for  the  purpose  of  testing, 
as  far  as  they  were  able,  the  validity  of  these  alleged  mani- 
festations. Among  the  company  were  J.  Fenimore  Cooper, 
the  novelist,  Mr.  George  Bancroft,  the  historian,  Rev.  Dr. 
Hawks,  Dr.  J.  W.  Francis,  Dr.  Marcy,  Mr.  X.  P.  Willis, 
Mr.  Wm.  Cullen  Bryant,  the  poet,  and  Mr.  Bigelow,  of 
the  Evening  J^st,  Mr.  Richard  B.  Kimball,  Mr.  II.  Tuck- 
erman,  and  Gen.  Lyman.  These  gentlemen  were  well 
known  throughout  the  country,  and  the  report  was  well 
calculated  to  carry  much  weight  with  it,  let  it  be  on  which 
side  it  would.  The  result  was  highly  satisfactory  to  the 
mediums  and  their  friends.  On  this  occasion  Mrs.  Fox 
and  her  three  daughters  were  present.  Mr.  Tuckerman 
was  among  the  first  to  interrogate  the  Spirits.  Among  his 
questions  were  the  following  in  regard  to  an  individual 
Avhose  name  he  had  not  spoken,  but  had  simply  in  his 
mind : 

" ' Did  he  live  in  Xew  York ? '  Xo  answer.  '  In  Balti- 
more ? '  'In  Cambridge  ? '  'In  Boston  ? ' — Three  distinct 
raps,  which  is  the  sign  of  an  affirmative  answer.  A  nega- 
tive reply  is  indicated  by  silence.  Mr.  T.  continued,  'Was 
he  a  lawyer  V  '  A  merchant  V  'A  physician  ? '  '  A  clergy- 
man ? '  Knocks.  '  Was  he  an  Episcopalian  ? '  '  A  Presby- 
terian % '  '  A  Unitarian  ? ' — going  over  the  names  of  the 


IN-  MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  139 

principal  sects.  No  answer.  At  the  suggestion  of  a  gen- 
tleman, Mr.  T.  asked  'Was  lie  a  Christian?'  Knocks.. 
Mr.  T.  then  asked  the  age  of  the  person  in  a  series  of  tens. 
'Was  he  twenty  years  old  at  the  time  of  his  death?' 
'  Was  he  thirty  ? '  '  Forty  ? '  '  Fifty  ? '  '  Sixty  ? '  Knocks. 
'  lias  he  left  a  family  ? '  Knocks.  '  Children  ? '  Knocks. 
'Five?'  'Three?'  'Two?'  Knocks.  '  Did  he  die  in  Bos- 
ton ? "  In  Philadelphia  ?  "  In  Albany  ? "  In  Northampton  ? ' 
'  In  Bennington  ? '  Knocks.  '  Did  he  die  of  consumption  ? ' 
<  Of  fever  V  'Of  cholera  ? '  '  Of  old  age  ? '     Knocks. 

"  The  person  in  Mr.  Tuckerman's  mind  was  the  late  Dr. 
William  Ellery  Channing,  the  eminent  and  liberal  Uni- 
tarian divine.  lie  lived  in  Boston,  and  died  in  Benning- 
ton, Vt.,  while  on  a  journey. 

"Dr.  Francis  having  fixed  in  his  mind  the  name  of  an 
individual,  the  'rapping'  spelled  out  Bur — when  several 
of  the  company  exclaimed,  spontaneously,  '  Robert  Burns.' 
This  was  the  true  answer ;  and  after  an  interesting  inter- 
view with  the. bard  of  Scotia,  the  doctor  declined  asking 
any  more  questions. 

"Mr.  James  Fenimore  Cooper  then  asked,  '  Is  the  per- 
son I  inquire  about  a  relative?'  'Yes,'  was  at  once  indi- 
cated by  the  knocks.  '  A  near  relative  ? '  '  Yes.'  'A  man  '. ' 
No  answer.  'A  woman?'  '  YTes.'  'A  daughter?'  'A 
mother  ? '  'A  wife  ? '  No  answer.  '  A  sister  ? '  '  Yes.' 
Mr.  C.  then  asked  the  number  of  years  since  her  death. 
Fifty  knocks  were  given,  and  the  number  unanimously  so 
announced  by  the  company.  Mr.  C.  now  asked,  'Did  she 
die  of  consumption  ? '  and  naming  several  diseases  to 
which  no  answer  was  given.  'Did  she  die  by  accident? ' 
'  Yes.'  '  Was  she  killed  by  lightning  ? '  '  Was  she  shot  ? ' 
'Was  she  lost  at  sea?'  'Did  she  fall  from  a  carriage?5 
'  Was  she  thrown  from  a  horse?'     '  Yes.' 

"  Mr.  Cooper  here  discontinued  his  investigations,  and  in- 


140  THE   MISSING   LINK 

formed  the  company  that  just  fifty  years  ago  that  present 
month  he  had  a  sister  thrown  from  a  horse  and  killed, 
and  that  all  the  answers  had  been  strictly  correct." 

Mr.  Ripley,  one  of  the  editors  of  the  Tribune,  a  man 
of  candor  and  great  intelligence,  drew  up  the  report  of  the 
whole  proceedings,  of  which  the  above  is  but  a  short  ex- 
tract, and  in  conclusion  he  says : 

"  The  evening  was  now  far  advanced,  and  it  was  not 
thought  desirable  to  continue  our  colloquies  any  further. 
At  the  suggestion  of  several  gentlemen,  the  ladies  removed 
from  the  sofa,  where  they  had  sat  during  the  evening, 
and  remained  standing  in  another  part  of  the  room.  The 
knoakings  were  now  heard  on  the  doors,  at  both  ends  of 
the  room,  producing  a  vibration  on  the  panels  which  was 
felt  by  every  one  who  touched  them.  Different  gentle- 
men stood  on  the  outside  and  inside  of  the  door  at  the 
same  time,  when  loud  knockings  were  heard  on  the  side 
opposite  to  where  they  stood.  The  ladies  were  at  such  a 
distance  from  the  door,  in  both  cases,  as  to  render  no  coun- 
tenance to  the  idea  that  the  sounds  were  produced  by  any 
direct  communication  with  them.  They  now  went  into  a 
parlor  under  the  room  in  which  the  party  wras  held,  ac- 
companied by  several  gentlemen,  and  the  sounds  were  then 
produced  with  great  distinctness,  causing  sensible  vibra- 
tions in  the  sofa,  and  apparently  coming  from  a  thick 
hearth-rug  before  the  fire-place,  as  well  as  from  other 
quarters  of  the  room. 

"  Such  are  the  most  important  facts  which  we  can  recall 
of  the  manifestations  of  the  evening.  We  believe  we 
have  stated  them  without  any  coloring  whatever,  as  they 
appeared  to  every  one  present ;  but,  with  regard  to  their 
origin  or  their  nature,  we  are  as  much  in  the  dark  as  any 
of  our  readers." 

I  will  add  to  the  above  but  a  few  Hues.     After  Feni- 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  141 

more  Cooper,  and  his  responsive  friends  in  the  Spirit  life, 
had  occupied  the  floor,  so  to  speak,  for  a  long  time,  calls 
upon  him  began  to  arise  as  to  whether  any  of  his  answers 
were  correct.  Of  course  he  alone  could  know,  since  they 
were  in  the  form  of  raps.  Old  Dr.  Francis,  who  had  sat 
with  his  chin  resting  on  his  big  cane,  and  his  eyes  intently 
fixed  on  Mr.  Cooper,  as  had  been  the  eyes  of  all  the  com- 
pany, began  knocking  impatiently  on  the  floor,  which  exam- 
ple was  followed  by  others,  as  in  the  case  of  an  impatient 
audience  at  a  theatre.  At  last  Mr.  Cooper  gave  satisfaction 
to  their  curiosity,  now  wound  up  to  a  high  pitch,  by  say- 
ing :  "  Gentlemen,  every  single  answer  has  been  cor- 
rect." This  was  of  course  no  small  relief  and  satisfaction 
to  us. 

And  it  was  a  still  greater  satisfaction  when,  after  his 
death  in  September  of  the  following  year,  I  received  a 
visit  from  Mr.  Cooper's  nephew,  with  a  note  from  the 
great  novelist,  one  of  the  last  things  written  by  his  pro- 
lific pen,  and  a  message  from  him  on  his  death-bed,  sub- 
stantially as  follows:  "  Tell  the  Fox  family  I  bless  them. 
I  have  been  made  happy  through  them.  They  have  pre- 
pared me  for  this  hour." 


142  THE    MISSING   LINK 


CHAPTER  XL 
EETURN  TO  ROCHESTER 

Letters  and  Newspaper  Articles  Respecting  our  New  York 
Campaign — Letter  from  Amy  Post — Letters  from  John 
E.  Robinson —  Article  from  a  Sunday  Newspaper  —  From 
the  New  York  Day-Book — Letter  from  Dr.  C.  D.  Griswold 
— Letter  from  Jacob  C.  Cuyler — Article  by  Horace  Gree- 
ley— Poem  from  the  Sunday  Dispatch. 

Such  was  our  first  campaign  in  New  York,  through  all 
the  hot  months  of  that  summer  of  1850.  Toward  the 
close  of  September  our  friends,  as  well  as  ourselves,  recog- 
nized the  necessity  for  us  of  some  rest  and  recuperation, 
and  we  decided  to  return  to  Rochester.  But  before  being 
allowed  to  do  so,  our  kind  and  devoted  friends,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Greeley,  insisted  on  our  spending  a  fortnight  with 
them  at  their  home  in  Nineteenth  Street.  We  also  spent 
a  wreek  with  other  friends  at  Greenpoint.  But  this  did 
not  afford  much  relief  to  our  overwrought  brains  and 
bodies,  because  Mr.  Greeley's  hospitable  house  was  a  centre 
of  visiting  to  the  literary  circles  of  New  York,  and  Spirit- 
ualism and  its  manifestations,  for  the  satisfaction  of  their 
visitors,  were  almost  as  much  the  order  of  our  days  as 
had  been  the  case  at  Barnum's  .Hotel,  among  countless 
more.  Bayard  Taylor  was  at  that  period  very  earnest  in 
his  investigations,  and  was  a  daily  frequenter  of  the  house. 
At  last  we  were  suffered  to  tear  ourselves  away  from  New 
York  ;  and  ah,  what  sighs  of  relief  we  breathed  when  we 
got  back  to  our  dearly  beloved  Rochester,  where  we  re- 
sumed our  former  happy   domestic  life,  in  which  we  all 


IN   MODERN    SPIRITUALISM.  143 

divided  our  days,  going  at  pleasure  to  and  fro,  between 
my  house  on  Troup  Street  and  the  farm,  the  homestead 
and  father's  house,  now  a  sort  of  adjunct  to  the  latter ; 
every  one  of  which  dwellings  was  always  an  open  hou.^e  to 
any  one  of  the  family. 

This  affords  a  convenient  point  at  which  to  introduce  a 
few  out  of  the  many  letters  from  valued  friends  referring 
to  our  time  and  experiences  in  Kew  York.  I  give  the  first 
place  to  one  from  that  best,  sweetest,  and  noblest  of  women, 
Amy,  wife  of  Isaac  Post,  friends  in  the  double  sense  of 
intimacy,  and  the  denominational  one,  for  both  she  and 
her  husband,  who  were  all  but  second  parents  to  me, 
were,  as  they  still  are,  perfect  specimens  of  the  ideal 
Quakerism. 

"Rochester,  N.  Y.,  May  30,  1850. 

"  Dear  Leah  :  I  have  very  often  thought  of  you  since  you 
left  our  goodly  city,  and  have  as  often  desired  to  communi- 
cate with  you,  but  I  hardly  know  where  to  direct  a  letter 
to  find  you  ;  though  I  might  have  known  that  your  move- 
ments would  be  slowr,  for  strange,  indeed,  it  would  be  if 
you  did  not  find  people  enough,  in  every  place  you  visited, 
interested  in  the  remarkable  phenomena  that  attend  you, 
to  keep  you  a  long  time.  It  is  almost  useless  to  say  that 
we  always  rejoice  whenever  we  hear  of  your  prosperity, 
either  temporally  or  spiritually ;  and  while  we  do  exceed- 
ingly miss  you  and  feel  your  loss,  we  are  thankful  that 
you  are  affording  others  the  privilege  of  witnessing  what 
we  have  so  often  enjoyed.  When  will  you  find  a  stopping 
place?  Sometimes  I  think  not  this  side  of  Europe,  but 
perhaps  my  ideas  are  too  boundless.  You,  and  the  good 
angels  that  are  with  you,  can  better  tell ;  but  wherever 
vou  may  go,  my  heart  and  good  wishes  go  with  you. 
John  E.  Robinson  kindly  read  to  me  some  parts  of  thy 
letter.     I  was  very  grateful  for  thy  kind  remembrance  of 


144  THE   MISSING   LINK 


us,  and  much  pleased  to  hear,  from  thy  own  pen,  of  your 
comfortable  situation,  company,  etc. 

"  Please  present  my  love  to  thy  mother,  Calvin,  and  both 
the  dear  girls.     Willet  says,   '  I  want  to  see  Leah  and 

Margaretta.5 

"  Thy  affectionate  friend, 

''Amy  Post." 


The  following  two  are  from  a  true  and  lifelong  friend 
(also  in  the  twofold  sense),  John  E.  Robinson,  of  whom  I 
coivkl  not,  with  either  justice  or  truth,  speak  in  terms  any 
less  strong  than  those  above  applied  to  my  beloved  Amy 
and  Isaac  Post. 

LETTER    FROM   JOHN    E.    ROBINSON. 

"Rochester,  Friday,  June  21,  1850. 

"  Dear  Friend  Leah  :  Your  anxiously  looked  for  letter 
came  to  me  Thursday  morning  last,  and  gave  me  a  great 
deal  of  pleasure  in  the  reading.  It  was  worth  more  than 
all  the  newspapers  I  have  seen  in  a  twelvemonth,  because 
it  gave  me  an  interior  view  of  your  temporary  homS,  and 
a  sketch  of  several  things  which  I  wanted  to  know7  some- 
thing of.  It  was  all  of  interest  to  me,  from  the  top  of  the 
first  page  to  the  last  line  of  the  tenth ;  and  I  promise  not 
to  scold  you  any  more,  for  I  observe  much  of  it  was  writ- 
ten during  late  hours  of  the  night,  when  you  could  not 
help  but  be  worn  with  fatigue.  The  only  wonder  is  that 
at  such  time  you  could  find  room  in  your  memory  for  me. 

"  By  the  way,  Leah,  what  think  you  Mr.  Jones  told  me  ? 
a  bit  of  gossip  about  you  and  a  millionaire,  somewhere 
about  Troy,  or  Albany.  He  told  it  as  a  special  secret,  and 
left  me  to  make  the  most  of  it.     It  is  capital.     When  do 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  145 

you  go  off?  I  shall  be  expecting  a  delicate  note  on  satin 
paper,  addressed  to  me,  tied  with  a  love-knot  of  matri- 
monial ribbon,  stating  when  yon  will  be  'at  home.'  Very 
well,  do  as  you  think  best.  It's  no  use  for  me  to  cross 
your  path  when  you  get  fairly  '  on  a  train,'  and,  so  far 
as  my  advice  is  concerned,  I  think  you  are  smart  enough 
in  such  matters,  and  can  only  say  to  you,  as  the  lawyer 
said  to  the  young  man  who  taught  him  a  lesson  in  roguery, 
'  You  need  no  lesson  from  me.' 

"  I  was  pleased  with  the  account  of  your  ramble  in  Hobo- 
ken,  but  wish  you  had  taken  some  other  day  for  the  excur- 
sion, as  the  one  in  question  always  brings  there  such  a 
crowd  of  the  '  lower  ten.'  I  hate  crowds !  though  even 
in  them  there  is  a  difference.  Commend  me  to  a  mass  of 
Sunday-clad  peasantry  rather  than  a  crowd  of  the  lower 
strata  of  New  York — or  the  equally  unpleasant  sham  aris- 
tocracy of  Rochester. 

"I  remember  those  shaded  walks  of  Hoboken.  They 
are  among  the  beautiful  things  and  pleasant  places,  the 
memory  of  which  is  stored  away  in  my  attic  story.  I 
suppose  you  will  see  all  the  points  of  attraction  before  you 
turn  your  steps  homeward.  You  will  not  go  further  east- 
ward, I  suppose.  If  you  should  go  to  Boston,  go  by  way 
of  Newport,  and  visit  its  beach.  That  famous  beach,  at 
the  hour  of  early  morning  or  just  at  evening  twilight,  is 
one  of  the  grandest  sights  I  ever  looked  upon.  I  won't 
attempt  to  describe  it  to  you  ;  but,  if  you  can  see  it,  the 
memory  thereof  will  not  die  out  from  your  mind.  The 
eye  and  the  ear  have  kindred  offices.  They  are,  both  of 
them,  organs  through  which  the  soul  within  us  takes  cog- 
nizance of  beauty.  The  magnificent  stave  of  music  which 
has  once  trembled  on  the  tympanum,  is  forever  prisoned 
in  the  spirit — '  a  thing  of  beauty  ; '  and  so  each  glorious 
form   of  nature  on  which  the  eye  has  rested,  while   the 


14G  THE    MISSING   LINK 

spirit  drank  in  its  inspiration,  remains 'a  joy  forever.' 
And  ^i;we  call  Memory.  Why  do  we  call  it  so?  Be- 
cause it  is  one  of  those  mysterious  powers  of  the  human 
soul  for  which  we  have  no  other  name. 

"  But  I  am  forgetting  what  to  say  to  you. 

"  Your  particular  mention  of  a  number  of  your  visitors 
is  very  agreeable  to  me.  What  a  pity  I  cannot  accept 
your  invitation,  and  spend  a  week  with  you.  You  must 
remember  everything  you  see  and  hear,  and  tell  me  all 
when  you  come  home.  I  am  very  glad  you  like  Mr. 
Hopper.  He  is  a  queer  fellow — when  he  has  a  mind  to 
be.  He  can  veil  the  greatest  amount  of  fun  under  the 
most  serious  face,  of  any  one  I  know.  He  carries  a  '  band 
of  music '  under  that  Quaker  physiognomy  of  his.  I  have 
often  been  talking  to  him  seriously,  and  stopped  short  to 
tell  him  I  could  not  read  him.  I  did  not  know  whether 
his  thoughts  were  mine  or  exactly  the  opposite.  His  re- 
markable father,  Isaac  T.  Hopper,  is  one  of  the  noblest- 
hearted  beings  in  this  wide  world.  His  whole  life  has 
been  marked  by  acts  of  most  perfect  benevolence  and  de- 
votion to  the  cause  of  Truth  and  Humanity.  I  was 
pleased  with  N.  P.  Willis's  article  in  The  Home  Journal, 
though  written  in  his  peculiar  vein,  and  regret  to  learn 
that  he  has  been  subjected  to  such  an  outrage  at  the 
hands  of  the  actor  Edwin  Forrest.  I  know  nothing  of 
Willis's  morals,  but  should  suppose  him  above  anything 
mean,  or  what  would  render  him  justly  amenable  to  the 
censure  of  those  who  have  long  admired  him  as  a  leading 
journalist  and  charming  writer.  It  is  a  sad,  sad  day  for  a 
man  or  woman  who  have  made  for  themselves  a  home  in 
thousands  of  hearts,  and  ministered  to  us  in  our  holiday 
hours,  when  he  or  she  stoops  from  that  admired  eminence, 
and  becomes  a  thing  for  scorn  to  point  its  linger  at.  I 
will  not  believe   this  of   Nathaniel   Parker  Willis — the 


IN  MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  147 

author  of  a  thousand  gems  of  thought  which  he  lias  scat- 
tered up  and  down  in  my  memory  like  spring  flowers. 

"  Our  daily  press  is  just  what  it  was.  You  cannot  expect 
anything  else  from  papers  with  little  talent,  and  no  cour- 
age, at  the  editorial  helm. 

"  If  you  come  across  such  a  man  as  Horace  Greeley  will 
recommend  as  one  of  his  own  stamp,  tell  him  Western 
New  York  wants  a  journalist  who  is  up  and  dressed  and 
afraid  of  nobody ;  and  if  he  will  come  out  here,  and  pitch 
into  'em,  he  will  make  his  fortune  and  serve  the  country. 
I've  a  thought  in  my  mind,  and  will  give  it  to  you  for 
what  it  is  worth. 

"Soon  after  the  meeting  at  Doctor  Griswold's,  I  saw  in 
the  N.  Y.  Evening  Post  (what  was  very  proper — so  far  as 
it  went,  because  it  did  not  charge  you  with  originating 
these  phenomena,  but  only  disclaimed  belief  in  their 
Spiritual  nature),  a  sort  of  disclaimer  evidently  by  one  of 
the  persons  preseut  wrho  took  the  privilege  of  speaking  for 
the  others  (or  most  of  them).  Now  the  fact  is  that,  if  any- 
thing which  has  engrossed  a  large  share  of  public  atten- 
tion is  really  worthy  of  serious  investigation,  the  result  of 
such  investigation  is  equally  worthy  to  be  made  publicly 
known.  And  as  the  prominent  minds  in  New  York  can 
most  effectually  do  this,  they,  or  those  of  them  who  have 
had  the  opportunity  to  arrive  at  fair  conclusions,  ought  to 
be  willing  to  state  that  result  in  explicit  language,  over 
their  proper  signatures.  It  would  be  but  a  simple  act  of 
justice  to  you ;  a  satisfaction  to  the  multitudes  who  are 
prevented,  by  a  thousand  considerations,  from  seeing  you  ; 
and  no  dishonor  to  them.  Before  you  leave,  if  it  meets 
the  approbation  of  your  best  friends,  I  would  have  it  done. 
It  would  give  you  a  vantage  ground,  from  whence  yon 
could  all  look  down  upon  the  miserable  scribblers  who 
have   been    eking   out    their   existence    by  abusing   you. 


148  THE   MI8SING    LINK 


Write  soon,  and  tell  me  what  has  transpired  since  your 
last  letter. 

"  My  love  to  you  all. 

"  Yours  truly, 

"  J.  E.  Robinson." 

JOHN   E.    ROBINSON. 

"  Rochester,  July  28,  1851. 
"  Dear  Friend  Leah  : 

l"  Your  welcome  letter  came  to  me  last  Tuesday.  I  have 
been  very  anxious  to  hear  from  you.  You  write  so  seldom, 
and  I  am  always  anticipating  your  letters  long  before  they 
reach  me.  I  am  sorry  to  learn  that  you  have  been  af- 
flicted, but  frequently  wonder  you  are  not  all  sick  from 
the  effect  of  continued  application  to  the  duties  which  de- 
volve on  you.  I  sympathize  with  you  often  in  your  thou- 
sand and  one  perplexities  of  mind  and  body.  It  gives  me 
pleasure  to  know  that  the  friends  stand  by  you  through  all 
trials  ;  and  you  will,  I  doubt  not,  find  in  your  mind  that 
appreciation  of  them  that  will  secure  a  pleasing  recollection 
when  you  shall  have  left  them. 

kV  You  say  that  '  you  all  wish  to  come  home,  and  will 
probably  return  soon.''  Kow,  I  wish  I  could  believe  that 
word  has  any  significance  in  such  connection  ;  but  it  has 
become  such  a  misnomer,  in  Spiritual  things,  that  it  is  a 
great  sinner. 

"  Sometimes  I  shut  out  the  reality  of  things  around  me, 
and  fancy  you  all  here  again.  For  the  moment,  I  am 
pleasingly  deceived,  and  again  I  stand  within  the  charmed 
circle  of  the  Rochester  Seeresses.  I  hear  your  bursts  of 
laughter,  and  look  deep  into  your  dark  eyes  to  read  what 
manner  of  thought  is  passing  behind  the  Spirit  windows. 
Yon  are  glad  to  see  me.  Maggie  and  Kate  also  give  a  like 
evidence.     But  I  am  only  dreaming  ;  you  are  away,  and 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  149 

as  far  off  as  you  were  two  months  ago.  I  have  little  ex- 
pectation of  seeing  you  in  less  than  two  months  ;  there 
are  reasons  which  will  keep  you  away  so  long,  notwith- 
standing you  speak  of  coining  home.  But  I  don't  wish  to 
hasten  you.  You  know  what  is  best,  and  will  act  accord- 
ingly. I  should  be  sorry  if  you  should  do  anything  that 
you  would  afterward  regret. 

"  The  most  familiar  Spiritualists — if  that  term  is  proper, 
now  hold  weekly  sociables  here.  We  have  met  but  twice 
as  yet,  but  design  continuing  them  each  Sunday  evening. 
The  last  Sunday  and  this  we  met  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
Granger,  and  passed  the  hours  very  much  to  our  satisfac- 
tion. There  were  present  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Granger,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Post,  Mr.  Hammond,  Mr.  W.  A.  Langworthy,  Mr. 
Jarvis,  Mr.  Edward  Jones,  George  Willets,  Mr.  Rich,  and 
the  writer  of  this.  The  design  is  to  have  these  meetings 
tend  to  the  mutual  improvement  of  those  present.  They 
partake  more  of  a  social  and  conversational  than  what 
would  be  called  a  religious  character ;  opportunities  for  the 
interchange  of  views  in  reference  to  Spiritual  things.  It 
is  similar  to  the  association  in  Springfield,  which  Mr. 
Munn  alluded  to  when  here.  By  the  way,  Mr.  Mnnn  has 
sent  me  the  prospectus  of  a  weekly  paper — The  Spirit 
Messenger,  to  be  issued  at  Springfield  next  month.  I  lis 
motive  is  not  speculation,  as  any  one  may  well  judge  who 
knows  what  an  up-hill  business  the  advocacy  of  advanced 
truth  is  in  this  our  age.  You  and  your  friends  in  New 
York  must  send  on  to  him  a  list  of  subscribers.  I  hope  it 
will  be  sustained  by  the  many  who  are  seeking  for  light 
on  this  and  kindred  subjects  of  deep  interest.  If,  as  in- 
tended, it  covers  the  field  heretofore  occupied  by  the 
miraculous,  it  ought  to  be  sustained. 

"  Your  house  on  Troup  Street  lias  been  closed  so  long  it 
will   require  seeing  to  before  you  go  into  it.      You  ought 


160  THE   MISSING    LINK 


to  send  word  several  days  before  you  reach  here,  in  order 
that  it  may  be  properly  ventilated.  If  you  can  do  so,  some 
of  your  friends  will  attend  to  it. 

"  As  ever,  your  friend, 

"John  E.  R.-' 


ARTICLE    FROM   A   NEW    YOKE    SUNDAY    NEWSPAPER. 

The  following  is  anonymous  from  a  Sunday  newspaper, 
the  name  of  which  I  am  not  now  able  to  give  : 

"  We  paid  a  visit  on  Sunday  last  to  the  Rochester  ladies 
(at  Barnum's  Hotel),  so  celebrated  in  this  world,  and  in  the 
world  of  Spirits,  for  the  extraordinary  revelations  made 
to  them  through  the  remarkable  knoekingsor  sounds  which 
have  excited  so  much  attention. 

"  They  appear  to  be  intelligent  persons,  and  there  is 
little,  if  anything,  in  their  manner  that  looks  like  simula- 
tion or  imposture.  We  are  a  perfect  heretic  in  all  such 
beliefs,  and  never  did  have  faith  in  anything  that  we  could 
not  understand.  As  to  ghosts,  spectres,  witchcraft,  or 
Spirits  from  the  other  world,  we  have  never  believed  in 
any  of  them,  consequently  it  cannot  trouble  us  if  we  are 
occasionally  deceived  ;  and  we  are  seldom  vexed  at  being- 
hoaxed  in  anything.  We  have  attained  a  period  of  such 
wonderful  discoveries  in  science  and  the  arts — we  accom- 
plish so  many  extraordinary  triumphs  and  unaccountable 
enterprises  in  the  present  age — that  our  motto  is  'nil 
adinirari.'  Let  us  see  all  that  is  to  be  seen  as  quickly  as 
possible,  before  we  shake  off  this  'mortal  coil.'  After 
steam  and  the  telegraph,  we  are  ready  to  believe  anything. 
The  Spirit  who  makes  knocks  for  these  young  ladies  seems 
to  be  a  familiar  one,  for  it  has  followed  them  from  Roches- 
ter and  knocks  in  every  part  of  Barnum's  Hotel,  corner  of 
Broadway  and  Maiden  Lane. 


IN  MODERN    8PIRITUALISM.  151 


"  The  sounds,  on  the  occasion  of  our  visit,  seemed  to 
proceed  from  several  parts  of  the  room,  near  the  table 
and.  in  the  next  apartment.  We  thought  with  Hamlet, 
'Be  thou^a  spirit  of  hell  or  goblin  damned, — Bringest  thou 
airs,  from  heaven  or  blasts  from  hell, — Be  thy  intents 
wicked  or  charitable, — Thou  coni'st  in  such  a  questionable 
shape,  that  I  will  speak  to  thee ! ' 

"  The  first  idea  that  struck  us  was  to  inquire  of  our  old 
friend,  Tom  Paine. 

"  We  wrote  down  his  name  and  the  names  of  several 
cities,  and  asked  where  he  died.  The  Spirits  knocked  '  at 
Xew  York.'  "We  then  inquired  how  old  he  was  when  he 
died.  The  familiars  knocked  seventy  times.  This  was  pretty 
near.  We  asked  if  he  voted  for  the  death  of  Louis  XVI.  ? 
It  rapped  'Xo.'  The  old  sinner!  This  was  perplexing 
and  strange,  yet  it  made  no  impression  upon  us.  A  clergy- 
man whom  we  have  known  as  possessing  a  clear,  strong 
mind,  brought  in  his  pocket  a  family  daguerrotype,  and  re- 
spectfully requested  the  Spirits  to  state  how  many  figures 
were  in  it,  when  the  number  was  rapped  correctly.  He  then 
asked  how  many  of  the  six  had  died,  and  the  number  was 
again  rapped  correctly.  We  saw  the  table  at  which  we 
sat  and  the  door  opposite  vibrate  with  the  knocks,  and  yet 
we  saw  none  that  we  could  suspect  of  collusion.  It  is  evi- 
dent, however,  that  the  minds  of  all  present  must  harmo- 
nize, and  there  must  be  quietude  and  union  of  the  nervous 
fluid  to  develop  striking  and  wise  answers  to  questions — 
particularly  of  a  domestic  character.  The  young  ladies 
moved  about  the  room,  apparently  independent,  and  it  was 
clear  that  they  were  n<>t  knocking,  whoever  was  ;  and  as 
to  concealment  and  emissaries  in  a  large  bustling  hotel, 
with  bells  ringing,  waiters  running  about,  chambermaids 
and  lodgers  constantly  on  the  move,  it  is  entirely  out  of 
the  question.     So  we  came  away  utterly  disbelieving  in  all 


ir>2  THE   MISSING   LINK 

supernatural  agency,  and,  at  the  same  time,  unable  to  say 
how  any  human  means  could  be  used  without  detection. 
The  powwowinga  and  witchcraft  which  prevailed  so  long  in 
New  England  among  our  ancestors  are  now  at,  an  end. 
Our  homes  are  no  longer  disturbed  with  an  unaccountable 
noise,  as  of  old  ;  our  children  do  not  vomit  crooked  pins 
and  tenpenny  nails  ;  nor  have  we  either  magic  or  sorcery. 
We  no  longer  have  those  spirits  which  the  Itosicrucians 
tell  us  inhabit  the  elements  :  sylphs,  gnomes,  nymphs,  and 
salamanders.  Yet,  grave  and  earnest  men  have,  of  old, 
believed  in  witchcraft,  and  many  at  this  day  believe  in  this 
Spiritual  communion  with  the  dead,  as  well  as  in  these 
mysterious  knockings. 

"  We,  however,  are  not  of  that  number  ;  but  would  not 
censure  or  condemn  those  who  are.  The  world  is  curious 
— these  knockings  are  curious — and  these  young  ladies  are 
worth  seeing,  and  the  mysterious  worth  hearing.  Then 
let  them  pass  for  what  they  are  worth." 

ARTICLE     FROM    THE    N.    Y.    DAY-BOOK    BY    ITS    EDITOR,    R.    N. 

SIMPSON. 

"  The  Rochester  Knocking  Girls." 

"  O  ho  !  you  are  all  cojning  into  it  are  you  ? 

"  It  is  somewhat  amusing  to  see  editors  of  papers,  distin- 
guished men,  literary  characters  and  others  coming  into 
the  belief  of  Spiritualism,  or  mysterious  knockings  ;  eating 
their  own  words  and  swallowing  Spirits,  girls,  knockers 
and  all.  We  say  that  it  is  amusing — it  would  be  amus- 
ing, were  it  not  disgusting  to  see  men,  who  pretend  to  pos- 
sess an  ordinary  share  of  intelligence,  so  completely  stul- 
tify themselves — as  many  of  these  characters  have. 

'"More  than  six  months  ago  these  knockings  commenced 
in  Rochester,  and  a  committee,  composed  of  the  most  re- 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  153 

Bpectable  citizens  of  that  city  went  into  a  thorough  exam- 
ination of  the  cause  of  them,  and  reported  to  the  world  the 
result  of  that  examination.  In  that  report  they  tell  us  all 
ami  more  than  we  have  heard  or  seen  since  the  girls  have 
been  in  this  city,  and  conclude  by  exonerating  the  girls  from 
practising  deception  or  fraud  in  any  of  their  exhibitions. 

"  After  reading  that  report,  the  writer  of  this  went  to 
Rochester  and  visited  the  girls:  the  result  of  that  visit  he 
published  in  the  Day- Booh  with  just  as  much  expectation 
of  his  statements  being  believed  as  if  he  had  said  that  the 
cars  ran  off  the  track,  or  that  he  crossed  Seneca  Lake  on 
board  of  a  steamboat.  "What  was  his  surprise  to  find  that 
not  one  in  twenty  believed  a  word  of  them.  The  Journal 
of  Cbmmeree,  The  Courier,  The  Express,  The  Christian 
Intelligencer,  and  in  fact  all  the  papers  in  the  city  amused 
themselves  and  their  readers  by  making  fun  of  the  whole 
matter.  "When  we  met  a  friend  he  would  accost  us  with, 
'  "Well,  you  have  been  to  see  the  Rochester  knockings, 
have  you  ? ' 

"  '  Yes  sir,'  would  be  our  answer. 

"  '  "Well,  what  do  you  think  of  them  V 

"  '  I  think  just  what  I  have  wrritten  and  published  ! ' 

"  '  Stimson — you  don't  pretend  to  believe  in  that  hum- 
bug '. " 

"  '  I  believe  that  I  heard  the  knockings,  and  that  the  girls 
had  no  direct  agency  in  making  them.' 

"  An  incredulous  stare  full  in  the  face,  the  cheeks  filled 
with  wind,  and  a  sudden  bursting  into  a  wild  ironical  laugh 
would  follow,  and  the  friend  would  turn  away  with,  '  Well, 
Stimson,  I  am  used  up  ;  if  you  are  so  easily  humbugged  as 
that  I  have  nothing  more  to  say.' 

"This  manifestation  of  utter  disbelief  in  the  whole  thing, 
we  must  acknowledge,  nettled  us  a  little,  and  we  concluded 
to  '  shut  up,'  and  deny  that  we  believed  in  anything.     "We 


154  THE  MISSING   LINK 


began  to  doubt  that  we  had  been  to  Rochester  at  all,  and 
as  for  seeing  the  girls  or  hearing  the  knockings,  we  were 
ready  to  swear  as  bravely  and  boldly  as  Peter  (and  with 
the  same  truth)  that  we  knew  nothing  about  them. 

"  Well,  time  passed  on,  the  papers  had  their  fun,  and  the 
girls  are  here.  What  say  The  Journal  of  Commerce  and 
The  Krjrress  now  ?  Do  they  call  it  all  humbug  ?  O  no  ! 
some  of  our  great  men  have  been  to  see  and  hear  for 
themselves,  and  instead  of  calling  it  humbug  swallow  it 
without  gulping.  Of  course  2'he  Journal  of  Commerce 
can't  go  against  the  great  men,  and  The  Express,  never 
having  had  an  opinion  of  its  own,  follows  on  the  back 
track  as  tamely  as  an  ass  colt." 

LETTER    FKOM   DR.    C.    D.    GRISWOLD,    M.D. 

The  liajpjpings  in  New  York. 

"To  the  Editor  of  the  Evening  Mirror:  Now  that  a 
considerable  number  of  '  the  wise  men  of  the  East,'  even 
of  Gotham,  have  been  permitted  to  hear  the  veritable 
'rappings'  which  so  confounded  the  'foolish'  and  'credu- 
lous' people  of  the  'West,'  I  do  not  see  that  they  are  any 
more  successful  in  discovering  the  machinery,  wire-work, 
or  other  means  of  collusion  to  which  these  phenomena 
have  been  attributed  (by  those  who  have  never  witnessed 
them),  than  were  their  western  neighbors.  All,  or  nearly 
all  those  who  have  investigated  this  matter  with  any 
honesty  of  purpose,  have  found  it  far  exceeding  their  con- 
ceptions. There  is  often  a  truthfulness  and  exactness  in 
these  communications  which  are  perfectly  astounding,  and 
when  failures  do  occur  they  can  readily  be  accounted  for 
if  it  is  admitted  that  they  are  addressed  to  an  intelligence 
which  reads  the  most  secret  thoughts.  What  is  the  nature 
of  this  intelligence  which  tells  us  our  thoughts  when  sin- 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  156 

cere,  and  regards  them  not  when  called  for  with  a  trifling 
or  dishonest  purpose  ?  Can  it  be  the  keen-sighted  percep- 
tion of  the  parties  interested  (  Can  it  be  explained  by  the 
principles  of  mesmerism,  or  is  it  supernatural  '.  These  are 
the  questions  to  be  answered.  Those  who  cannot  control 
their  thoughts  from  the  observations  of  others,  may  be 
satisfied  with  the  first ;  those  who  do  not  take  into  con- 
sideration the  physical  demonstrations,  may  consider  the 
second  an  explanation  ;  but  to  explain  all,  it  maybe  doubted, 
as  some  do,  that  the  power  exists  in  the  supernatural  world. 
This  is  anything  but  an  age  of  reason.  '  Opinion '  has  gained 
the  ascendancy  and  sits  upon  '  reason's  throne,"  and  with 
an  assurance  incompatible  with  everything  but  ignorance, 
despises  '  facts '  and  evidence.  Strange  and  mysterious  as 
this  matter  is,  many  of  the  phenomena  are  settled  'facts' 
which  plainly  contradict  the  vague  '  opinions '  set  afloat  by 
those  who  know  little  of  what  they  talk  or  write  about. 
Take,  for  instance,  a  note — published  in  The  Evening 
Post — by  a  person  who  was  present  at  the  interview  for 
the  investigation  of  the  subject,  at  the  rooms  of  Dr.  Gris- 
wold,  in  which  he  says  that  '  all  the  persons  present  on  that 
occasion  (whom  he  has  since  seen)  are  of  the  opinion  that 
the  phenomena,  or  knockings,  were  electrical,  and  the 
answers  accidental.'  These  may  not  be  his  precise  words, 
yet  they  embody  correctly  his  expression ;  but  they  are 
incorrect  in  fact,  and  in  their  implication ;  as  all  of  the 
persons  then  present  have  not  been  consulted,  far  less  have 
they  given  an  unanimous  opinion  as  above  expressed. 

"Before  any  one  adopts  the  ' opinion '  that  these  sounds 
are  electrical,  would  it  not  be  well  to  show  how  they  can 
be  produced  while  the  three  persons  on  whom  they  are  at- 
tendant are  insulated  several  feet  apart  ;  how  electricity 
can  be  so  harnessed  to  tables,  chairs,  and  other  things,  as  • 
to  move  them  about,  or  hold  them  in  their  places  so  that 


"V  AC 


L56  THE  MISSING   LINK 

no  human  arm  can  stir  tlieni,  or  produce  a  concussion  equal 
to  what  would  require  the  force  of  a  strong-  arm  to  accom- 
plish and  with  the  aid  of  a  heavy  instrument ;  without 
saving  anything  of  the  still  more  wonderful  manifestations 
indicating  intellectual  direction.  Any  one  who  can  give 
the  rationale  of  all  this,  upon  electrical  principles,  will 
undo  some  of  the  established  and  known  laws,  and  dis- 
cover to  the  world  not  only  the  means  for  converting  this 
subtle  agent  into  an  intelligent  motive  power,  but  also  to 
give  it  the  skill  of  a  masterly  engineer. 

"  The  assumption  that  the  correct  answers  given  to  ques- 
tions that  evening — though  not  remarkable,  comparatively 
— were  '  accidental,'  bears  absurdity  upon  the  face  of  it. 
Such  'opinions'  throw  no  light  upon  the  mystery,  but 
leave  it  still  more  inexplicable  to  the  general  intelligent 
mind. 

"  Of  thousands  who  have  now  witnessed  these  phenom- 
ena, almost  every  one  at  first  regarded  the  idea  that  these 
parties  were  not  directly  the  operators,  as  most  preposter- 
ous. But  since  what  is  called  a  '  public  opinion  '  has  become 
pretty  well  established,  the  rest  of  the  world  fall  in,  and 
see  nothing  very  strange  in  them — after  all.  And  thus  it 
would  be  with  the  next  point,  or  the  claim  of  Spirituality, 
wore  it  only  understood  that  the  immaculate  judge,  '  pub- 
lic opinion,'  had  decided  in  its  favor.  Such  is  the 
value  of  opinion  in  a  large  sense.  If  the  truth  is  told  of 
other  days,  mankind  valued  their  opinions,  and  kept  them 
to  themselves.  But  not  so  now.  The  article  is  known  to 
be  valueless  ;  and  each  one  seems  desirous  of  getting  rid  of 
his  stock.  At  no  age  of  the  world  did  charlatanism  make 
more  rapid  strides  than  it  does  at  present;  so  that,  it 
seems,  the  same  traits  of  character  which  render  us  the 
subjects  of  deception,  make  us  slow  to  embrace  truth  ;  and 
for  the  reason,  as  I  conceive,  that  'facts'  and   'evidence' 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  157 

are  less  an  element  in  the  '  foundation  '  of  opinions  than 
are  prejudices,  preconceived  notions,  personal  interest,  and 
the  fear  of  being  laughed  at. 

"The  philosophy  of  the  Sunday  Press  upon  this  subject 
has  sustained  the  well-known  character  of  those  journals  ; 
to  say  the  least,  they  have  been  very  spirited,  lleligion 
which  has  been  arrayed  against  God,  is  the  devil's  weapon, 
and  The  Herald  borrowed  it  for  the  first  onset ;  '  serious- 
ly '  fearing  that  this  subject  would  be  made  to  overthrow 
the  good  results  which  sound  education  and  true  Christian 
piety  might  accomplish.  Pray,  what  would  The  Herald 
have  to  fear  from  such  a  result  ?  Its  premises  would  be 
exempt  from  any  change  by  such  a  revolution,  and  it  would, 
no  doubt,  add  to  its  subscription  lists. 

"  There  is  one  cheerful  inference  to  be  drawn  from  The 
IL  raid's  position  with  regard  to  this  subject ;  that  is,  that 
the  devil  has  no  meddling  with  the  matter.  By  the  way, 
this  calls  to  mind  another  distinguished  individual — Dr. 
David  Meredith  Reese— who  has  the  advantage  of  a  longer 
name,  if  not  quite  so  notorious,  the  great  expounder  of 
humbugs. 

"  He  has  promised  to  show  up  the  deception  upon  the 
first  opportunity,  and  people  would  have  great  confidence 
in  his  experience.  Come  forward,  doctor,  and  redeem 
your  pledge ;  or  take  back  your  unmanly  imputations ; 
but,  for  the  credit  of  the  thing,  do  not  say  that  you  be- 
lieve in  its  verity. 

"CD.  Griswold,  M.D." 

LETTER  FROM  JACOB  C.  CUTLER. 

The  following  is  from  the  editor  of  The  Albany  Express, 
before  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  visit  of  the  judges 
and  lawyers  at  Albany. 


1D8  THE    KISSING    LINK 

"Albany  Morning  Express  Office, 
"  June  9,  1830. 
k-  Mas.  Fish  : 

"  After  reading  an  account  of  your  meeting  at  the  house 
of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Griswold,  in  Broadway,  New  York,  accom- 
panied as  it  was  by  many  very  satisfactory,  and  I  trust  con- 
vincing, manifestations,  I  have  experienced  a  species  of 
gratification  which  I  can  call  nothing  more  nor  less  than 
revengeful.  Those  who  have  scoffed  and  scouted  the  idea 
of  '  Spiritual  communications '  were  modest  enough  in 
their  prejudiced  opinions  to  style  me  fanatic  and  chimeri- 
cal ;  and  some,  more  unscrupulous  than  their  brethren, 
even  hinted  that  no  respectable  paper  would  devote  its 
columns  to  the  dissemination  of  such  doctrines  throughout 
the  world.  But  'Truth  is  mighty,  and  will  prevail.' 
Choosing  rather  that  time  should  vindicate  the  '  Spirits,' 
than  that  our  own  feeble  efforts  should  act  as  their  de- 
fender, we  have  waited  with  some  anxiety  the  result  in 
New  York  City.  When,  therefore,  we  learned  that  such 
men  as  Mr.  Cooper,  Mr.  Tuckerman,  Dr.  Frances,  and 
others  of  like  stamp,  had  received  such  demonstrations  as 
are  recorded  in  the  public  journals  of  that  city,  I  took 
the  liberty  of  adding  some  considerable  to  my  diminutive 
stature.  I  walked  about  with  all  the  assurance  of  a  mil- 
lionaire, and  just  at  the  nick  of  time,  whom  should  I  come 
in  contact  with  but  the  unbeliever  Hastings,  of  The  Knick- 
erbocker. Triumphantly  I  held  up  before  his  astonished 
gaze  the  record,  and  exultingly  asked  him  whether  those 
men  were  fools,  lunatics,  or  fanatics  ?  I  had  him  there, 
and  all  he  could  say  in  reply  was — Humbug. 

"  Well,  that  was  as  much  as  I  expected,  and  laughing  at 
his  stubborn  ignorance  I  left  him. 

"  I  see  that  even  Bennett,  of  The  Herald,  has  somewhat 
changed  his  tunc,  and  that  he  speaks  quite  favorably  of  the 


IX   MODERN    SPIRITUALISM.  L59 

affair.  He  will  be  compelled  to  do  more  than  all  this,  I  hope, 
before  long,  or  many  weeks  roll  over  his  head.  The  press 
generally  in  New  York,  I  am  happy  to  see,  are  acting  very 
kindly  toward  you,  and  I  only  wish  that  all  may  receive 
entire  satisfaction  in  their  investigations.  With  us,  all  re- 
mains as  usual.  Many  who  seemed  to  manifest  but  little 
interest  in  the  affair  while  you  were  here  have,  since 
your  departure,  evinced  a  desire  to  see  and  investigate. 
So  will  it  be  everywhere,  and  among  all  classes.  The 
Switch  still  speaks  of  '  Yaupy  '  *  and  the  Spirits  with  con- 
tempt;  but  I  believe  '  Y^aupy '  suffers  nothing  from  his 
efforts.  lie  still  seems  to  be  in  the  enjoyment  of  health, 
and  although  seldom  Tffnown  to  smile,  he  can  laugh  with 
more  freedom  than  is  his  usual  custom. 

"  Do  you  think  of  stopping  in  our  city  before  you  return 
to  Rochester  ?     I  hope  so. 

u  I  have  heard  that  Margaretta  has  been  unwell  since 
your  arrival  in  Xew  York,  but  presume  her  recovery  is  com- 
plete. Present  my  kind  regards  to  your  mother  and 
Maggy  and  Catty. 

"Hoping  to  see  you  in  Xew  York  before  you  leave,  I  re- 
main Yours  respectfully. 

"Jacob  C.  Cutler.'1 

ARTICLE   BY    nORACE    GREELEY,    PUBLISHED    IN   THE   TRIBUNE. 

"  Mrs.  Fox  and  her  three  daughters  left  our  city  yester- 
day on  their  return  to  Rochester,  after  a  stay  here  of  some 
weeks,  during  which  they  have  freely  subjected  the  mys- 
terious influence  by  which  they  seem  to  he  accompanied, 
to  every  reasonable  test,  and  to  the  keen  and  critical  scru- 


*  Yaupy  is  Low  Dutch  for  Jacob ;  the  writer  of  the  letter  originally 
employed  it  as  a  num  <k  pktme. 


160  THE   MISSING   LINK 

tiny  of  the  hundreds  who  have  chosen  to  visit  them,  or 
whom  they  have  been  invited  to  visit. 

"  The  rooms  which  they  occupied  at  the  hotel  have  been 
repeatedly  searched  and  scrutinized  ;  they  have  been  taken 
without  an  hour's  notice,  into  houses  they  had  never  before 
entered ;  they  have  been,  all  unconsciously,  placed  on  a 
glass  surface  concealed  under  the  carpet,  in  order  to  inter- 
rupt electric  vibrations ;  they  have  been  disrobed  by  a 
committee  of  ladies,  appointed  without  notice,  and  insist- 
ing that  neither  of  them  should  leave  the  room  until  the 
investigation  had  been  made,  etc.,  etc.,  yet  we  believe  that 
no  qne  to  this  moment  pretends  that  he  has  detected  either 
of  them  in  producing  or  causing  the  '  rappings  ; '  nor  do  we 
think  any  of  their  contemners  has  invented  a  plausible 
theory  to  account  for  the  production  of  these  sounds,  nor 
the  singular  intelligence  which  (certainly  at  times)  has 
seemed  to  be  manifested  through  them. 

"  Some  ten  or  twelve  days  since,  they  gave  up  their 
rooms  at  the  hotel,  and  devoted  the  remainder  of  their  so- 
journ here  to  visiting  several  families,  to  which  they  had 
been  invited  by  persons  interested  in  the  subject,  and  sub- 
jecting the  singular  influence  to  a  closer  and  calmer  ex- 
amination than  could  be  given  to  it  at  a  hotel  and  before 
casual  companies  of  strangers,  drawn  together  by  a  vague 
curiosity,  mere  rational  interest,  or  predetermined  and  in- 
vincible hostility.  Our  own  dwelling  was  among  those  thus 
visited,  not  merely  submitting  to  but  courting  the  fullest  and 
keenest  inquiry  with  regard  to  the  alleged  'manifestations ' 
from  the  Spirit  world  by  which  they  were  attended.  We 
devoted  what  time  we  could  spare  from  our  duties,  out  of 
three  days,  to  this  subject,  and  it  would  be  the  basest  coward- 
ice not  to  say  that  we  are  convinced  be}Tond  a  doubt  of  tJu  ir 
j»  rfect  integrity  and  good  faith  in  the  premises.  Whatever 
may  be  the  origin  or  the  cause  of  the  '  rappings,'  the  ladies  in 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  161 


whose  presence  they  occur  do  not  make  them.  We  tested 
this  thoroughly  and  to  our  entire  satisfaction. 

"  Their  conduct  and  bearing-  is  as  unlike  that  of  deceivers 
as  possible,  and  we  think  no  one  acquainted  with  them 
could  believe  them  at  all  capable  of  engaging  in  so  daring, 
impious,  and  shameful  a  juggle  as  this  would  be  if  they 
caused  the  sounds.  And  it  is  not  possible  that  such  a  jug- 
gle should  have  been  so  long  perpetrated  in  public,  yet  es- 
cape detection.  A  juggler  performs  one  feat  quickly  and 
hurries  on  to  another ;  he  does  not  devote  weeks  after 
weeks  to  doing  the  same  thing  over  and  over  deliberately, 
in  full  view  of  hundreds  who  sit  beside  or  confronting  him 
in  broad  daylight,  not  to  enjoy  but  to  detect  his  trick.  A 
deceiver  naturally  avoids  conversation  on  the  subject  of  his 
knavery,  but  these  ladies  converse  freely  and  fully  with 
regard  to  the  origin  of  these  *  rappings '  in  their  dwelling 
years  ago,  the  various  sensations  they  caused,  the  neighbor- 
hood excitement  created,  the  progress  of  the  developments 
— what  they  have  seen,  heard,  and  experienced  from  first  to 
last.  If  all  were  false  they  could  not  fail  to  have  involved 
themselves  ere  this  in  a  labyrinth  of  blasting  contradictions, 
as  each  separately  gives  accounts  of  the  most  astounding 
occurrences  at  this  or  that  time.  Persons  foolish  enough  so 
to  commit  themselves  without  reserve  or  caution  could  not 
have  deferred  a  thorough  self-exposure  for  a  single  week. 

"  Of  course  a  variety  of  opinions  of  so  strange  a  matter 
would  naturally  be  formed  by  the  various  persons  who 
have  visited  them,  and  we  presume  those  who  have  merely 
run  into  their  room  for  an  hour  or  so  and  listened,  among 
a  huddle  of  strangers,  to  a  medley  of  questions — not  all 
admitting  of  very  profitable  answers — put  to  certain  invis- 
ible intelligencies  and  answered  by  rappings  or  singular 
noises  on  the  floor,  table,  etc.,  as  the  alphabet  was  called 
over  or  otherwise,  would  naturally  go  away  perhaps  puz- 


162  THE  MISSING   LINK 

zled,  probably  disgusted,  rarely  convinced.  It  is  hardly 
possible  that  a  matter  ostensibly  so  grave  could  be  pre- 
sented under  circumstances  less  favorable  to  conviction. 
But  of  those  who  have  enjoyed  proper  opportunities  for  a 
full  investigation  we  believe  that  fully  three-fourths  arc 
convinced,  as  we  are,  that  these  singular  sounds  and  seem- 
ing manifestations  are  not  produced  by  Mrs.  Fox  and 
her  daughters,  nor  by  any  human  being  connected  with 
them. 

"  How  they  are  caused,  and  whence  they  proceed,  are 
questions  which  open  a  much  wider  field  of  inquiry,  with 
whoso  way-marks  we  do  not  profess  to  be  familiar.  He 
must  be  well  acquainted  with  the  arcana  of  the  universe 
who  shall  presume  dogmatically  to  decide  that  these  mani- 
festations are  natural  or  supernatural.  The  ladies  say  that 
they  are  informed  that  this  is  but  the  beginning  of  a  new 
era  or  economy,  in  which  Spirits  clothed  in  flesh  are  to  be 
more  closely  and  palpably  connected  with  those  which 
have  put  on  immortality  ;  that  the  manifestations  have  al- 
ready appeared  in  many  other  families  and  are  destined  to 
be  diffused  and  rendered  clearer,  until  all  who  will  may 
communicate  freely  and  beneficially  with  their  friends  who 
have  '  shuffled  off  this  mortal  coil.'  Of  all  this  we  know 
nothing  and  shall  guess  nothing.  But  if  we  were  simply 
to  print  (which  we  shall  not)  the  questions  we  asked  and 
the  answers  we  received  during  a  two  hours'  uninterrupted 
conference  with  the  '  rappers,'  we  should  at  once  be  ac- 
cused of  having  done  so  expressly  to  sustain  the  theory 
which  regards  these  manifestations  as  the  utterances  of 
departed  spirits. 

"  We  believe  it  is  the  intention  of  the  ladies  to  shun 
henceforth  all  publicity  or  notoriety  as  far  as  possible. 
They  do  not  expect  or  wish  to  make  gain  of  the  '  Rap- 
pings  ; '  they  have  desired  to  vindicate  their  own  charac- 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  163 

ters  from  the  gross  imputations  so  freely  cast  upon  them  ; 
believing  that,  that,  effected,  they  hope  to  be  permitted 
hereafter  to  live  in  that  seclusion  which  befits  their  sex, 
their  station,  and  their  wishes.  AVe  trust  they  may  be  per- 
mitted to  do  so. 

"  11.  G.*' 

'       A    POEM. 

The  following  clever  verses  (published  in  The  New  York 
Sunday  Dispatch)  were  from  the  pen  of  a  gentleman  who 
had  been  a  vehement  opponent,  but  who,  being  an  honest 
and  good  man,  had  not  been  able  to  resist  the  evidences  of 
the  truth  of  "the  Communion  of  Spirits."  In  inserting 
them,  the  Editor  exercises  his  prerogative  in  disregard  of 
the  objections  and  vain  veto  of  the  author  who  was  the  sub- 
ject of  them. 

When  first  Leah  Brown 
Became  talked  of  through  town, 

And  compared  to  the  famed  witch  of  Endor, 
I  thought  'twould  be  best 
To  apply  the  old  test, 

And  to  fagot  and  fire  to  send  her. 

In  my. zeal  orthodox 
To  trap  this  sly  Fox, 

A  terrible  pit-fall  I  planned, 
But  she  every  one  foils, 
I  was  caught  in  her  toils, 

And,  I  own  it,  completely  trepanned. 

'lis  no  wond.T  her  spell 
Should  on  even-  one  tell, 

And  worm  out  our  secrets  by  scores, 
Her  eye's  such  a  piercer, 
I  never  saw  fiercer, 

It  made  me  leak  out  through  my  pores. 


164  THE   MISSING   LINK 

'Twas  plain  she  saw  through  me, 
Though  Heaven  beshrew  me, 

If  I  even  myself  could  divine. 
In  my  visage  dyspeptic 
She  saw  hut  a  sceptic, 

Her  own  was  the  reflex  of  mine. 

For  my  douhts  it  was  clear 
I  was  soon  to  pay  dear, 

To  this  point  all  her  efforts  were  pitched, 
And  I  own  it  with  shame, 
She  has  managed  that  same, 

For  now  I  am  fairly — bewitched. 


IX    MODERN    SPIRITUALISM.  165 


CHAPTER    XII. 

BUFFALO.     1850-51. 

Urged  to  return  to  Xew  York — Visit  to  Buffalo — Attempt 
by  a  Pretended  Friend  to  Frighten  us  away — Thunder- 
bolt from  the  Buffalo  Commercial  Advertiser — The 
"  Females"—  Knee-joint  Theory — Our  Reply  Challenging 
Investigation  of  it — The  Doctors'  Day — Mrs.  Patciien's 
Pecullvrity. 

We  all  returned  to  our  home  in  Rochester,  but  imme- 
diately started  for  the  old  homestead  (Arcadia,  Wayne 
County),  where  for  about  a  month  we  enjoyed  the  society 
of  our  dear  friends  to  our  hearts'  content.  After  this  it 
became  necessary  to  go  back  to  Rochester,  where  we  re- 
ceived urgent  letters  from  Xew  York,  insisting  on  our 
return  to  that  city,  now  that  we  had  had  what  our  friends 
there  thought  a  sufficient  period  of  repose  and  holiday. 
These  invitations  we  refused,  whatever  might  be  the  con- 
ditions offered ;  but  this  soon  brought  upon  us  a  visit  of 
Judge  Edmonds  and  others,  in  person,  who  insisted,  in 
the  name  of  all  our  friends,  as  well  as  in  that  of  our 
•  duty,"  that  some  of  the  family  at  least  should  return 
with  him  to  Xew  York.  This  finally  led,  after  much  per- 
snasion  and  deliberation,  to  our  consent  that  Katie,  accom- 
panied of  course  by  mother,  should  do  so,  and  Maggie 
remained  with  me  at  my  house  in  Troup  Street,  Rochester. 
At  Xew  York  mother  and  Katie  were  to  reside  succes- 
sively with  our  principal  friends  in  the  great  city. 

We  left  Rochester  for  Buffalo  the  16th  of  December, 


106  THE    MTSSING   LINK 

L850,  at  the  earnest  solicitation  of  many  friends  there. 
It  was  our  intention  on  leaving  home  to  be  absent  about 
two  weeks,  but,  like  the  Spirits,  we  could  not  calculate  onr 
time.  "When  we  had  been  thero  about  two  weeks,  we 
began  to  think  of  turning  our  steps  homeward  ;  but  our 
friends  would  not  consent  to  our  leaving  them  so  soon,  as 
the  crowded  seances  and  the  continued  increasing  interest 
seemed  to  demand  our  presence  still  longer.  We  remained, 
and  soon  found  why  we  were  detained.  About  this  time 
two  of  the  Buffalo  doctors  called  on  us,  viz.,  Dr.  C.  B. 
Coventry  and  Dr.  Charles  A.  Lee.  To  my  certain  knowl- 
edge, Dr.  Austin  Flint  never  appeared,  in  our  presence 
until  alter  he  had  made  the  wonderful  discovery  of  "  knee- 
ology,"  which  is  fully  explained  hereafter.  Dr.  Coventry 
appeared  gentlemanly  at  all  times  and  places  ;  but  Dr.  Lee 
proved  himself  to  be  a  wily,  deceitful  man.  He  certainly 
professed,  to  us,  to  be  greatly  surprised  at  what  he  wit- 
nessed in  our  presence ;  and  I  was  myself  afterward  sur- 
prised at  the  manner  and  tone  of  the  subsequent  attacks 
upon  us  in  which  he  united. 

The  first  intimation  we  had  of  the  thunderbolt  which 
was  being  forged  to  be  hurled  upon  us  by  the  Buffalo 
doctors,  from  what  they  seemed  to  consider  as  an  Olympic 
height  of  professional  authority,  was  a  visit  which  I  re- 
ceived one  morning  from  Dr.  T.  M.  Foote,  formerly  U.  S. 
Minister  to  Bogota,  and  at  this  time  editor  of  The  Buffalo 
Commercial  Advertiser.  He  professed  to  come  as  our 
friend,  and.  with  a  gentle  blandness  and  confidential  tone 
advised  me  to  leave  Buffalo  at  once,  suggesting  that  the  first 
train  would  leave  in  about  two  hours ;  that  the  whole  thing 
was  now  found  out  and  exposed,  and  that  he  came  to  save 
us  from  being  mobbed  out  of  the  city.  I  suppose  now 
that  our  oily  friend  in  his  own  evil  heart  imagined  us  to  be 
really  frauds,  and  that  I  would  probably  be  frightened  into 


IN  MODERN"    BPIBITUALI8M.  167 

flight;  or,  at  any  rate,  give  evidence  of  conscious  guilt  in 
the  mode  of  receiving  such  a  friendly  warning.  For  a 
moment  or  two  I  scarcely  understood  his  meaning;  but 
then  I  asked,  with  my  best  haughtiness, what  right  he  had 
to  come  to  my  door,  at  our  private  hours,  without  sending 
up  his  card  ;  and  I  stepped  back  into  my  room,  shutting 
and  locking  the  door  in  his  face,  and  at  once  rang  the  bell, 
more  violently  than  was  perhaps  lady-like,  but  so  as  to 
bring  the  porter  very  promptly  to  the  door,  near  which  my 
visitor  was  still  standing.  I  told  the  porter  to  beg  Mr. 
Rogers,  the  good  and  kind  proprietor  of  the  house,  to  step 
up,  and  to  him  I  complained  that  that  man  had  dared  to 
come  to  my  door,  within  my  private  hours,  without  first 
sending  up  his  card  for  permission  ;  that  he  had  insulted 
me,  and  that  I  begged  he  might  never  be  admitted  again 
under  any  circumstances.  Of  course  I  knew  well  enough 
who  "  that  man  "  was,  for  he  had  often  been  at  our  rooms, 
and  had  entertained  us  with  stories  of  the  tricks  of  leger- 
demain he  had  witnessed  in  South  America.  He  was  here 
an  important  and  potent  personage,  being  an  ex-diplomatist 
and  editor  of  an  evening  paper.  From  his  other  title,  I 
suppose  he  must  once  have  also  been  of  the  same  profes- 
sion as  the  three  M.D.'s  whose  attack  on  us  was  already  in 
type  in  his  columns,  as  I  soon  afterward  knew  by  the  news- 
boys' cries  of  "  The  Rochester  Knot-kings  !  Great  Ex- 
posure of  the  Rochester  Knoekings!" 

If  the  Rochester  knoekings  were  an  imposture,  nobody 
was  more  imposed  npon  by  them  than  myself,  and  nobody 
could  have  had  a  greater  interest  in  learning  how  they 
were  produced.  I  therefore  sent  out  to  buy  a  copy  of  The 
Commercial  Advertiser  of  February  IS,  1851,  still  damp 
from  the  press,  in  which  I  read  the  following  authoritative 
scientific  account  of  the  way  in  which,  for  now  nearly  three 
years,  my  little   sisters  and   myself  had  been  wearing  out 


168  THE   MISSING   LINK 

onr  knee-bones  to  impose  upon  the-  world,  our  family,  and 
ourselves !     And  this  is  what  I  read  : 

"  To  the  Editor  of  The  Commercial  Advertiser: 

"  Curiosity  having  led  us  to  visit  the  rooms  at  the  Phelps 
House  in  which  two  females  from  Xtochester — Mrs.  Fish 
ami  Miss  Fox — profess  to  exhibit  striking  manifestations 
from  the  Spirit  world,  by  means  of  which  communion 
may  be  had  with  deceased  friends,  etc.  ;  and  having  ar- 
rived at  a  physiological  explanation  of  the  phenomena,  the 
correctness  of  which  has  been  demonstrated  in  an  instance 
which  has  since  fallen  under  our  observation,  we  have  felt 
that  a  public  statement  is  called  for  which  may  perhaps 
serve  to  prevent  a  further  waste  of  time,  money,  and  credu- 
lity (to  say  nothing  of  sentiment  and  philosophy)  in  con- 
nection with  this  so  long  successful  imposition. 

"  The  explanation  is  reached,  almost  by  a  logical  neces- 
sity, on  the  application  of  a  method  of  reasoning  much  re- 
sorted to  in  the  diagnosis  of  diseases — namely,  the  7'eason- 
ing  by  exclusion. 

"  It  was  reached  by  this  method  prior  to  the  demonstra- 
tion which  has  subsequently  occurred. 

"  It  is  to  be  assumed,  first,  that  the  manifestations  are  not 
to  be  regarded  as  spiritual,  provided  they  can  be  physically 
or  physiologically  accounted  for.  Immaterial  agencies  are 
not  to  be  invoked  until  material  agencies  fail.  We  are 
thus  to  exclude  Spiritual  causation  in  this  stage  of  the  inves- 
tigation. 

"  Next,  it  is  taken  for  granted  that  the  rajspings  are  not 
produced  by  artificial  contrivances  about  the  persons  of  the 
females,  which  may  be  concealed  by  the  dress.  This 
hypothesis  is  excluded  because  it  is  understood  that  the  fe- 
males have  been  repeatedly  and  carefully  examined  by  lady 
committees. 

"  It  is  obvious  that  the  rappings  are  not  caused  by  ma- 
chinery attached  to  tables,  doors,  etc.,  for  they  are  heard 
in  different  rooms,  and  in  different  parts  of  the  same  room 
in  which  the  females  are  present,  but  always  near  the  spot 
where  the  females  are  stationed.  This  mechanical  hypoth- 
esis is  then  to  be  excluded.  So  much  for  negative  evi- 
dence, and  now  for  what  positively  relates  to  the  subject. 


IN  MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  1C9 

"  On  carefully  observing  the  countenances  of  the  two 
females  it  is  evident  that  they  involve  an  effort  of  the  will. 
They  evidently  attempted  to  conceal  any  indications  of 
voluntary  effort,  but  did 'not  succeed.  A  voluntary  effort 
Mas  manifested,  and  it  was  plain  that  it  could  not  be  con- 
tinued very  long  without  fatigue.  Assuming,  then,  this 
positive  fact)  the  inquiry  arises,  how  can  the  will  be  ex- 
erted to  produce  sounds  (rappings)  without  obvious  move- 
ments of  the  body?  The  voluntary  muscles  themselves 
are  the  only  organs,  save  those  which  belong  to  the  mind 
itself,  over  which  volition  can  exercise  any  direct  control. 
But  contractions  of  the  muscles  do  not,  in  the  muscles 
themselves,  occasion  obvious  sounds.  The  muscles,  there- 
fore, to  develop  audible  vibrations,  must  act  upon  parts 
with  which  they  are  connected.  Now,  it  was  sufficiently 
clear  that  the  rappings  were  not  vocal  sounds ;  these  could 
not  be  produced  without  movements  of  the  respiratory 
muscles,  which  would  at  once  lead  to  detection.  Hence, 
excluding  vocal  sounds,  the  only  possible  source  of  the 
noises  in  question,  produced  as  we  have  seen  they  must 
be,  by  voluntary  muscular  contractions,  is  in  one  or  more 
of  the  movable  articulations  of  the  skeleton,  from  the  an- 
atomical construction  of  the  voluntary  muscles.  This 
explanation  remains  as  the  only  alternaticc. 

"By  an  analysis  prosecuted  in  this  manner  we  arrive  at 
the  conviction  that  the  Tappings,  assuming  that  they  are 
not  spiritual,  are  produced  by  the  action  of  the  will, 
through  voluntary  action  on  the  joints. 

"  Various  facts  may  be  cited  to  show  that  the  motion  of 
the  joints,  under  certain  circumstances,  is  adequate  to  pro- 
duce the  phenomena  of  the  rappings ;  but  we  need  not 
now  refer  to  these.  By  a  curious  coincidence,  after  arriv- 
ing at  the  above  conclusion  respecting  the  source  of  the 
sounds,  an  instance  has  fallen  under  our  observation,  which 
demonstrates  the  fact  that  noises  precisely  identical  with 
the  spiritual  rappings  may  be  produced  in  the  knee-joints. 

"  A  highly  respectable  lady  of  this  city  possesses  the 
ability  of  developing  sounds  similar,  both  in  character  and 
degree,  to  those  professedly  elicited,  by  the  Rochester  im- 
postors, from  the  Spirit  world.     We  have  witnessed  the 


170  THE  MISSING  LINK 

production  of  the  sounds  by  the  lady  referred  to,  and  have 
been  permitted  to  examine  the  mechanism  by  which  they 
are  produced.  Without  entering  at  this  time  into  a  very 
minute  anatomical  and  physiological  explanation,  it  is  suf- 
ficient  to  state  that  the  muscles  inserted  into  the  upper  and 
inner  side  of  the  large  bone  of  the  leg  (the  tibia),  near  the 
knee-joint,  are  brought  into  action  so  as  to  move  the  upper 
surface  of  the  bone  just  named  laterally  upon  the  lower 
surface  of  the  thigh  bone  (the  femur),  giving  rise,  in  fact, 
to  a  partial  lateral  dislocation.*  This  is  effected  by  an  act 
of  the  will,  without  any  obvious  movement  of  the  limb, 
occasioning  a  loud  noise,  and  the  return  of  the  bone  to  its 
place  is  attended  by  a  second  sound.  Most  of  the  Roches- 
ter rappings  are  double.  It  is  practicable,  however,  to 
produce  a  single  sound  by  moving  the  bone  out  of  place 
with  the  requisite  quickness  and  force,  and  allowing  it  to 
slide  slowly  back,  in  which  case  it  is  noiseless. 

"  The  visible  vibrations  of  articles  in  the  room,  situated 
near  the  operator,  occur,  if  the  limb,  or  any  portion  of  the 
body,  is  in  contact  with  them  at  the  time  the  sounds  are 
produced.  The  force  of  the  semi-dislocation  of  the  bone 
is  sufficient  to  occasion  distinct  jarring  of  the  doors,  tables, 
etc.,  if  in  contact.  The  intensity  of  the  sound  may  be 
varied  in  proportion  to  the  force  of  the  muscular  contrac- 
tions, and  this  will  render  the  apparent  source  of  the  rap- 
pings more  or  less  distinct. 

*  This  article  was  also  published  in  the  Buffalo  Medical  Journal  for 
March,  1851,  with  a  note  saying  that  the  editor  had  taken  the  liberty  to 
"  correct  an  error  in  the  account  of  the  displacement  of  the  joint  which 
produces  the  sounds."  That  correction  was  of  the  sentence  we  have 
italicized,  and  the  editorial  correction  reads  as  follows: 

"  Without  entering,  at  this  time,  into  minute  anatomical  and  physio- 
logical explanation,  it  is  sufficient  to  state  that,  owing  to  relaxation  vj 
the  ligaments  of  the  knee-joint,  by  means  of  muscular  action  andpressn  i , 
of  the  lower  extremity  against  a  point  of  resistance,  the  large  bone  of  the 
leg  (the  tibia)  is  moved  laterally  upon  the  lower  surface  of  the  thigh  bone 
(the  femur',  giving  rise,  in  fact,  to  partial  lateral  dislocation." 

By  comparing  the  portion  italicized,  in  this  note  especially,  it  will  be 
seen  that  the  "  doctors  disagreed"  very  materially,  making,  in  fact,  two 
different  statements. 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  171 

"We  have  witnessed  repetitions  of  experiments,  in  the 
case  just  referred  to,  sufficient  to  exhibit  to  us  all  the 
phenomena  of  the  sounds  belonging  to  the  Rochester  rap- 
pings,  and,  without  further  explanations  at  this  time,  we 
append  our  names  in  testimony  of  the  facts  contained  in 
the  foregoing  hastily  penned  exposition. 

"  Austin  Flint,  M.  D.,        )  TT   .        .. 
«r<  at        i\r   r\    (  University 

"  Charles  A.  Lee,  JM.  i).,  >   c  r>  «.•  1 " 

«  C.  B.  Coventry,  M.  D.|  )  °f  Buftala 

"  February  17,  1851." 

I  had  been  so  indignant  at  Dr.  Foote's  first  intimation 
to  me  of  what  was  coming,  that  if,  when  I  slammed  the 
door  in  his  face,  it  had  happened  to  come  in  contact  with 
his  nose,  which  he  had  so  impertinently  and  hypocritically 
attempted  to  intrude  into  our  rooms,"  I  fear  I  should  not 
have  much  regretted  the  accident ;  but  anger  evaporated 
over  the  perusal  of  this  precious  scientific  performance ; 
which  was  certainly  enough  to  make  me  smile  aloud  over 
its  absurdity.  I  saw  at  once  that  we  could  have  nothing 
to  fear  from  it,  even  though,  at  the  first  blush,  its  solemn 
professional  air  and  tone  might  impose  upon  the  ignorant 
and  gratify  the  bigotry  of  some  hostilities.  I  knew  that 
the  first  sincere  investigation,  with  special  reference  to 
this  new  and  comical  knee-joint  theory,  must  at  once  ex- 
plode it  and  cover  its  authors  with  confusion.  I  published 
the  next  day,  in  all  the  daily  papers,  the  following  card. 
It  will  be  remembered  that  I  was  now  alone  in  Buffalo 
with  Maggie ;  mother  and  Katie  being  at  New  York. 

"  To  Doctors  Flint,  Coventry,  and  Lee  : 

"Gentlemen — We  observe,  by  a  communication  in 
The  Commercial  Advertiser,  that  you  have  recently  made 
an  examination  of  a  '  highly  respectable  lady  of  this  city,' 
by  which  you  have  discovered  the  secret  of  the  'Roch- 
ester impostors.'     A.^  we  do  not  feel  willing  to  rest  under 


172  THE   MISSING   LINK 

the  imputation  of  being  impostors,  we  are  very  willing 
to  undergo  a  proper  and  decent  examination,  provided 
we  can  select  three  male  and  three  female  friends  who 
shall  be  present  on  the  occasion. 

"We  can  assure  the  public;  that  there  is  no  one  more 
anxious  than  ourselves  to  discover  the  origin  of  these  mys- 
terious manifestations.  If  they  can  be  explained  on  '  ana- 
tomical and  physiological '  principles,  it  is  due  to  the  world 
that  the  investigation  be  made,  and  that  the  '  humbug '  be 
exposed.  As  there  seems  to  be  much  interest  manifested 
by  the  public  on  that  subject,  we  would  suggest  that  as 
early  an  investigation  as  is  convenient  would  be  acceptable 
to  the  undersigned. 

"A.  Leah  Fish. 

"Margaretta  Fox." 

The  learned  professors,  being  thus  challenged,  could  do 
no  less  than  accept,  and  a  meeting  was  arranged,  which 
took  place  at  the  Phelps  House.  Indeed,  for  the  next 
fortnight  we  may  be  said  to  have  surrendered  our  whole 
time  to  investigations,  our  rooms  being  open  freely  and 
gratuitously  to  meetings  of  the  public,  or  of  committees 
appointed  by  them,  consisting  of  gentlemen  selected  from 
"  the  pick  "  of  Buffalo.  The  three  doctors  had  the  first 
evening  in  their  own  hands ;  though  there  were  present 
Mr.  Rogers,  the  proprietor  of  the  hotel,  and  I  think  two 
or  three  gentlemen  friendly  to  us,  and  many  other  pro- 
miscuous gentlemen.  I  remember  particularly  the  presence 
of  two  steamboat  men  (idle,  of  course,  at  that  season), 
Captains  Rounds  and  Walker.  This  is  fixed  in  my  recol- 
lection because  of  a  little  incident  in  regard  to  which  I 
have  never  been  sure  which  of  them  was  the  (kindly) 
guilty  party.  They  both  felt  a  pity— natural  to  good 
and  kindly  men — for  two  young  creatures  thus  baited,  as 


IX    MODERN    SPIRIT!  ALISM.  173 

it  were  by  cruel  enemies;  and  as  we,  Maggie  and  I,  sat 
together  on  a  sofa,  and  after  long  waiting  no  raps  came, 
one  of  them  rested  his  arm  on  the  back  of  the  sofa  and 
actually,  with  his  knuckles,  made  behind  me  three  raps 
which  were  not  a  bad  imitation.  Perhaps  he  was  not 
mure  than  half  conscious  of  what  he  did,  like  the  boy 
who  denied  that  he  had  whistled  in  school  and  said  "  it 
whistled  itself."  But  I  knew  the  raps  not  to  be  genuine  ; 
while  the  kindness  of  heart  of  the  author  of  them  at 
such  a  moment  of  trial  excited  in  me  something  perhaps 
a  little  hysterical,  for  I  cried,  or  rather  sobbed  out — "  O, 
for  pity's  sake,  don't  do  that.  If  God  and  the  good 
Spirits  have  deserted  us  we  will  abide  the  consequences ; 
but  don't  let  there  be  any  false  rapping."'  Good  Mr. 
Rogers  was  so  much  moved  and  excited  (he  had  been  be- 
fore wiping  streams  of  perspiration  from  his  forehead) 
that  he  staggered  as  he  stood,  and  some  friends  assisted 
him  out  of  the  room ;  and  I  understood  that  he  actually 
fainted. 

But  the  good  Spirits  had  inspired  me  well ;  for  I  was 
afterward  told  that  it  produced  the  best  effect  on  all  pres- 
ent. From  this  I  presume  that  I  must  except  the  doctors, 
whom  professional  dignity  and  pride  committed  to  their 
new  theory  ;  and  who,  probably  under  the  materialistic 
bigotry  of  modem  science,  were  all  in  arms  against  us 
and  the  Spirits.  The  spontaneous  genuineness  of  it  was 
clear  evidence  that  there  was  nothing  but  honesty  in  us, 
whatever  mystery  might  be  under  these  strange  manifesta- 
tions— mysterious  to  ourselves  first  and  most  of  all. 

It  was  certainly  a  severe  and  cruel  ordeal  for  us,  as  we 
sat  there  under  that  accusation,  surrounded  by  all  these 
men,  authorities,  some  of  them  persecutors,  while  the 
raps,  usually  so  ready  and  familiar,  would  not  come  to  our 
relief.     Some  few  and  faint  ones  did  indeed  come — some 


174  THE   MISSING   LINK 

nine  or  ten.  The  doctors  say  in  their  account  that  it  was 
while  they  intermitted  the  holding  of  our  feet.  Such  was 
not  my  impression,  but  1  attach  small  importance  to  that. 
It  will  be  seen  herein  that  the  first  Doctors'  day  was  fol- 
lowed by  many  more,  in  the  presence  of  committees  of  all 
that  was  highest  and  best  of  authority  in  Buffalo,  in  which 
not  only  did  the  raps  abound,  alike  when  our  feet  and 
knees  were  held  and  when  they  were  not,  but  other  mani- 
festations of  the  presence  and  action  of  our  Spirit-friends 
which  far  transcended  the  significancy  of  raps.  We  are 
now  familiar  with  the  fact  that  Spirits  often  refuse  to  act 
in  the  presence  of  those  who  bring  to  the  occasion,  not  a 
candid  and  fair  spirit  of  inquiry  for  the  satisfaction  of  an 
honest  scepticism,  but  a  bitter  and  offensive  bigotry  of 
prejudice  and  invincible  hostility,  which  does  not  really 
seek,  but  rather  repels  the  truth,  and  but  little  deserves 
the  favor  of  its  exhibition  to  them  by  the  Spirits. 

Neither  men  nor  Spirits  care  always  to  cast  their  pearls 
away  upon  unfit  and  unworthy  recipients.  Our  Spirits 
knew  well  what  they  could  and  would  exhibit  on  the  fol- 
lowing days  to  the  public  of  Buffalo  and  the  world,  through 
better  channels  of  higher  authority. 

The  three  doctors  published  their  account,  the  animus 
of  which  appears  in  the  one  circumstance  that  we  are  never 
mentioned  but  as  "  females  " — a  small  fact,  but  enough  to 
show  how  some  males  may  be  M.D.'s  without  being  gentle- 
men. 

The  following  extracts  from  their  account  of  it  will  pre- 
sent the  whole  of  its  substance: 

"  The  two  females  were  seated  upon  two  chairs  placed 
near  together,  their  heels  resting  on  cushions,  their  lower 
limbs  extended,  with  the  toes  elevated  and  the  feet  sepa- 
rated from  each  other.  The  object  of  this  experiment  was 
to  secure  a  position  in  which  the  ligaments  of  the  knee- 


IN  MODERN   BPIBITUALI8M.  175 

joint  should  be  made  tense,  and  no  opportunity  offered  to 
make  a  pressure  with  the  foot.  "We  were  pretty  well 
satisfied  that  the  displacement  of  the  bones  requisite  for 
the  sounds  could  not  be  effected,  unless  a  fulcrum  were 
obtained  by  resting  one  foot  upon  the  other,  or  on  some 
resisting  body.  The  company  waited  half  an  hour,  but  no 
sounds  were  heard  in  this  position. 

"The  position  of  the  younger  sister  was  then  changed 
to  a  sitting  posture,  with  lower  limbs  extended  on  the  sofa, 
the  elder  sister  sitting,  in  the  customary  way,  at  the  other 
extremity  of  the  sofa.  The  'Spirits'  did  not  choose  to 
signify  their  presence  under  these  circumstances,  although 
repeatedly  requested  so  to  do.  The  latter  experiment 
went  to  confirm  the  belief  that  the  younger  sister  alone 
produced  the  rapping.  These  experiments  were  continued 
until  the  females  themselves  admitted  that  it  was  useless 
to  continue  any  longer  at  that  time,  with  any  expectation 
of  manifestations  being  made. 

"  In  resuming  the  usual  position  on  the  sofa,  the  feet 
resting  on  the  floor,  the  Jenockvngs  soon  began  to  be  heard. 
It  was  then  suggested  that  some  other  experiments  be 
made.  This  was  assented  to,  notwithstanding  the  first  was 
to  our  minds  amply  conclusive.  The  experiment  selected 
was,  that  the  knees  of  the  two  females  be  firmly  grasped, 
with  the  hands  so  applied  that  any  lateral  movement  of 
the  bones  would  be  perceptible  to  the  touch.  The  pres- 
sure was  made  through  the  dress.  It  was  not  expected  to 
prevent  the  sounds,  but  to  ascertain  if  they  proceeded  from 
the  knee-joint.  It  is  obvious  that  this  experiment  was  far 
less  demonstrative  to  an  observer  than  the  first,  because,  if 
the  bones  were  distinctly  felt  to  move,  the  only  evidence 
of  this  fact  would  be  the  testimony  of  those  whose  hands 
were  in  contact  with  them.  The  hands  were  kept  in 
apposition  for  several  minutes  at  a  time,  and  the  experi- 
ments repeated  frequently,  for  the  space  of  half  an  hour 
or  more,  with  negative  results;  that  is  to  say.  there  were 
plenty  of  raps  when  the  knees  were  not  held,  and  none 
when  the  hands  were  applied,  save  once;  as  the  pressure 
was  intentionally  somewhat  relaxed  (Dr.  Lee  being  the 
holder)  two  or  three  faint  single  raps  were  heard,  and  Dr. 


170  THE   MISSING   LINK 


Leo  immediately  averred  that  the  motion  of  the  bone  was 
plainly  perceptible  to  him.  The  experiment  of  seizing  the 
knees  as  quickly  as  possible,  when  the  knockings  first  com- 
menced, was  tried  several  times,  but  always  with  the 
effect  of  putting  an  immediate  quietus  upon  the  de?non- 
8tratiori8. 

"  The  proposition  to  bandage  the  knees  was  discussed. 
The  experiment  was  objected  to,  on  the  part  of  the  friends 
of  the  females,  unless  we  could  concede  that  it  should  be 
a  conclusive  test  experiment.  We  were  not  prepared  with 
appliances  to  render  the  limb  immovable,  and  therefore 
declined  to  have  it  considered  such  a  test. 

This  was  the  experiment  anticipated,  and  one  which,  we 
presume,  the  females  thought  would  end  in  their  triumph. 
A  bandage  applied  above  and  below  the  patella,  admitting 
of  flexion  of  the  limb,  will  probably  prevent  the  displace- 
ment, as  we  have  but  little  doubt  had  been  ascertained  by 
the  Rochester  females  before  an  examination  was  invited. 
Should  it  become  necessary  to  repeat  experiments  in  other 
places,  in  furtherance  of  the  explosion  of  the  imposition, 
we  would  suggest  that  the  bandage  be  not  relied  upon." 

"  Had  our  experiments,  which  were  first  directed  to  this 
joint,  failed,  we  should  have  proceeded  to  interrogate,  ex- 
perimentally, other  articulations.  But  the  conclusion 
seemed  clear  that  the  Rochester  Knockings  emanate  from 
the  knee-joint." 

The  name  of  the  lady  referred  to,  who  had  some  extra- 
ordinary formation  of  the  joint  in  one  of  her  knees,  was 
Mrs.  Patehen.  (At  the  close  of  this  chapter  the  reader  will 
find  some  letters  from  her  to  me.)  She  could  produce  a 
peculiar,  unpleasant,  crunching  sound  by  pressing  her  knee 
forward  against  some  resisting  object,  and  then  kicking,  as 
it  were,  upward  her  foot  by  a  movement  which  lifted  her 
dress  and  was  obviously  visible  to  persons  present.  But 
it  was  with  great  effort  and  very  painful  to  herself,  and 
the  consequence  of  her  having  exhibited  it  to  a  committee 


IX    MODERN    SPIRITUALISM.  177 

at  our  rooms  was  that  she  was  confined  for  about  a  week. 
The  way  her  peculiar  case  had  come  to  their  knowledge 
was  this  :  One  night,  when  her  husband  had  returned  late 
from  one  of  our  meetings  and  stated  the  cause  of  his  delay, 
she  told  him,  in  joke,  that  she  could  make  raps  with  her 
knee-joint,  and  that  he  should  rather  pay  her  than  us. 
She  could  also  make  them  in  bed,  having  a  side-board  on 
which  she  could  press  the  knee.  The  next  day  her  hus- 
band mentioned  this  to  Dr.  Austin  Flint,  who  happened 
to  be  his  family  physician.  The  medical  eagerness  to 
rush  forth  with  their  address  to  the  public  above  quoted, 
with  little  if  any  investigation,  is  shown  by  the  fact  that 
it  was  on  the  following  day  that  the  scientific  tirade 
against  us,  signed  by  the  three  doctors,  appeared  in  The 
Commercial  Advertiser.  It  is  most  charitable  to  suppose 
that  they  never  really  heard  Mrs.  Patchen's  peculiar  sound, 
because  it  was  manifest  to  all  who  afterward  heard  it  at 
our  rooms,  that  it  bore  no  resemblance  to  the  knocking  of 
our  invisible  friends,  since  otherwise  there  is  no  escape 
from  a  still  more  discreditable  alternative. 

Mrs.  Patchen  was  greatly  annoyed  at  the  use  to  which 
this  rare  peculiarity  of  hers  had  been  perverted.  She 
came  to  see  me  and  expressed  her  deep  regret,  even  before 
we  recognized  each  other  as  old  school-mates;  and  the  fol- 
lowing letters,  written  after  she  had  heard  and  witnessed 
for  herself  (the.originals  of  which  I  still  possess),  sufficiently 
speak  for  themselves.  The  date  of  the  doctors'  attack  was 
February  18,  1851. 

"  Saturday,  March  8,  1851. 

"Ml  Deab  Mbb.  Fish: 

"Can  you  and  your  sister  possibly  make  it  convenient 
to  come  to  my  house   this  afternoon  'I     If  not,  do  come 


178  THE   MISSING   LINK 

this  evening  without  fail.     You  will  confer  a  great  favor 
by  so  doing.     1  want  to  see  you  both  very  much. 
"  Your  ever  dear  friend, 

"Mks.  Patciien. 

"P.S.  I  did  not  send  your  little  satchel,  as  I  wanted  you 
to  come  and  see  me  yourself.  Please  send  an  answer  by 
the  little  boy."' 

"Buffalo,  March  21,  1851. 
"Dear  Friends,  Mks.  Fish  and  Sister: 

"  I  have  been  anxiously  waiting  to  see  you  at  our  home 
again. 

"  The  Phelps  House  is  so  crowded  I  could  not  see  3-011 
privately  for  a  moment.  I  do  want  to  see  you  very  much. 
I  have  heard  so  much  of  your  '  manifestations  ' — not  yours, 
but  the  manifestations  of  the  Spirits.  They  are  very 
mysterious;  it  is  very  singular.  My  husband  was  at  your 
rooms  last  evening,  but  he  thought  it  not  best  for  me  to 
come  in  such  a  crowd.  I  wish  you  could  disengage  your- 
selves for  one  afternoon  or  evening  as  soon  as  you  possibly 
can.  I  never  before  felt  so  deeply  interested  in  the  sub- 
ject. I  cannot  possibly  wait  a  week.  Please  send  word 
when  you  will  come. 

"  Faitlif  ully  yours, 

"  Me.s.  Patchen." 

This  is  the  lady  through  whom  Dr.  Flint  endeavored  to 
expose  us  to  the  world  as  humbugs  and  impostors 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  179 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

BUFFALO  (Continued). 

Investigations  upon  Investigations — A  Meeting  at  tiie  Phelps 
House — Manifestations  with  Bells,  etc. — Mr.  Albro's  Re- 
port— A  Death  Scene — Letter  from  me  to  the  "Commer- 
cial Advertiser,"  and  how  I  Forced  its  Insertion — Article 
from  the  "Buffalo  Daily  Republic" — Letter  from  Mb. 
Greeley — Mr.  E.  W.  Capron — Departure  from  Buffalo. 

But  the  three  doctors  were  not  to  have  it  all  their  own 
way — not  even  with  the  assistance  of  a  fourth,  who  was 
now  the  ex-diplomatic  editor  of  their  organ,  and  whom  I 
spare  from  mention  of  what  had  been,  in  former  times, 
his  last  exercise  in  Buffalo  of  the  honorable  profession  to 
which  he  had  been  of  but  little  honor.  Whether  he  is 
still  living  in  the  flesh,  or  has  gone  to  learn  for  himself, 
in  the  Spirit  world,  all  the  truth  of  Spiritualism,  I  do  not 
know.  They  had  put  all  Buffalo  on  the  boil,  and  our 
rooms  were  crowded  with  hosts  of  indignant  friends.  For 
about  a  fortnight  they  were  open  and  free  to  the  public, 
without  money  and  without  price,  whenever  fresh  parties 
came  or  were  brought  who  desired  satisfaction  on  any 
point  growing  out  of  the  then  raging  doctoral  controversy. 
Different  committees  of  investigation  and  re-investigation 
were  appointed,  for  which  services  the  first  and  best  men 
and  women  of  Buffalo  would  be  chosen.  I  will  particu- 
larize two,  with  omission  of  some  merely  prefatory  matter 
from  the  second  of  the  two,  the  reports  of  which  are  taken 
from  Mr.  Capron's  bonk,  qnoting  f rom  the  Buffalo  papers. 


180  THE    MISSINC    LINK 


A  MEETING   AT   THE   PHELPS    HOUSE. 

"A  company,  consisting  of  J.  L.  Reynolds,  F.  Ramsey, 
Dr.  W.  R.  Scott,  II.  Cnnnnings,  Dr.  G.  E.  Hayes,  Capt. 
A.  Walker,  C.  ('.  Bristol,  .lames  Dunkin  and  wife,  J.  S. 
Chadwick,  S.  Albro,  and  J.  Stringham,  met  at  the  rooms 
of  Mrs.  Fish  and  Miss  Fox,  at  seven  and  a  half  o'clock 
last  Monday  evening.  Two  large  hand-bells  and  one 
small  one  had  been  provided  for  Spirits  to  manifest  their 
presence  with,  if  they  should  choose  to  make  use  of  them. 
The  bells  were  placed  under  the  table,  and  the  company 
were  seated.  Eappings  immediately  commenced,  mani- 
festing the  presence  of  the  representatives  of  the  Spirit- 
country.  We  resolved  to  ask  no  questions,  and  wait  for 
voluntary  manifestations.  Alphabet  called,  spelling,  '  Sit 
close,  and  you  may  see  some  new  manifestations.'  All 
drew  near  the  table,  and  waited  in  silence.  After  waiting 
some  time,  the  small  bell  commenced  ringing.  The  me- 
diums' feet  had  been  placed  in  the  custody  of  two  gentle- 
men who  had  not  been  there  before,  and  their  hands  were 
continually  on  the  table.  The  largest  bell  now  commenced 
ringing,  and,  while  ringing,  moved  'round,  traversing  the 
whole  area  under  the  table.  Two  bells  rang  at  once.  Af- 
terward the  whole  three  united  in  a  kind  of  chime.  The 
largest  bell  was  placed  on  Dr.  Hayes's  foot,  and  bore  on  it 
with  a  pressure  of  six  times  its  weight.  He  put  his  hand 
down  and  touched  the  bell.  He  received  other  manifes- 
tations in  the  presence  of  an  active  agent.  The  medium 
told  him  to  ask  if  it  was  a  Spirit.  He  did  so,  and  was 
answered  by  a  pinch  of  his  toe,  signifying  the  affirma- 
tive. 

"  '  Is  it  the  Spirit  of  my  brother  ? '  Ansiver,  '  Yes.' 
lie  wrote  the  names  of  his  deceased  brothers,  and  it  des- 
ignated its  own    name  by  pinching  his  toe.     'Does  the 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  181 

Spirit  wish  to  communicate  with  me  ? '  'I  will  commu- 
nicate with  you  at  home,  when  all  is  calm.'  Here  silence 
prevailed  for  a  time.  The  bells  commenced  ringing,  and 
occasionally  one  would  fall  upon  the  floor.  Alphabet 
called,  spelling,  '  Move  back  a  little  from  the  table.'  All 
moved  back  except  Capt.  Walker,  who  made  several  ef- 
forts to  obey,  but  found  his  chair  fast.  He  looked  to  see 
if  it  was  not  fast  in  the  carpet,  and  tried  to  raise  it,  but  it 
refused  to  move  upward,  backward  or  forward.  Alpha- 
bet called,  spelling,  '  Sit  close  to  the  table.'  All  drew 
their  chairs  close  to  the  table,  and  Capt.  Walker  embraced 
the  opportunity  to  see  if  the  order  had  not  loosened  his 
chair  ;  but  he  could  not  stir  it. 

"Xow  the  Spirit  commenced  performances  with  bells  ; 
sometimes  ringing  them  all  at  once,  and  sometimes  plac- 
ing them  on  the  feet  of  one,  and  on  the  knees  of  another. 
Sometimes  they  would  fall  on  the  floor,  and  sometimes 
hit  the  under  side  of  the  table.  This  ceased,  the  alphabet 
was  called,  and  the  spelling  was,  '  Look.'  We  looked,  and 
the  three  bells  stood  in  a  right  line,  about  eighteen  inches 
apart.  We  resumed  our  positions,  and  the  operations  of 
ringing,  pressing  feet,  and  throwing  down  bells,  went  on 
again.  Again  we  were  called  to  '  look,'  and  the  two  large 
bells  stood  upright,  but  the  small  one  was  missing,  and 
could  not  be  found.  One  of  the  company  suggested  that 
we  look  under  the  larger  bells.  The  largest  bell  was 
lifted,  and  the  missing  one  was  found  under  it,  standing 
erect.  The  play  then  went  on,  till  we  were  again  told  to 
'  look,'  and  the  small  bell  was  found  under  the  large  one, 
lying  on  its  side.  So  it  continued  for  some  time,  placing 
the  bells  in  various  positions,  and  calling  on  the  company 
to  '  look.' 

"  In  answer  to  a  question  asked  some  days  previously,— 
'  What  is  the  use  of  these  demonstrations  ? '  the  Spirits 


182  THE   MISSING   LINK 


paid,  '  They  are  made  to  prove  that  the  mediums  have  no 
agency  in  it.'    And  the  question  asked  by  Mr.  Stringham, 

'May  I  leave  the  table  while  the  others  remain,  that  I 
may  look  under  and  see  the  bells  ringing? '  was  answered, 
4  "What  do  you  think  we  require  you  to  sit  close  to  the 
table  for?'  When  Spirits  make  these  physical  demonstra- 
tions they  are  compelled  to  assume  shapes  which  human 
eyes  must  not  look  upon. 

"  When  the  above-named  performances  were  finished, 
loud  concussions  were  heard  and  felt  on  the  under  side  of 
the  table.  They  became  louder  and  louder,  till  the  brass 
candlesticks  were  made  to  bound  up  six  or  eight  inches 
from  the  table.  The  candles  were  repeatedly  thrown  out 
of  them,  and  we  were  compelled  to  hold  them  in  our 
hands.  These  concussions  were  equal  to  those  a  man 
could  make  with  a  large  nail-hammer,  while  lying  on  his 
back  and  striking  with  all  his  strength.  "We  expected  the 
bed  of  the  table  to  be  split  in  pieces,  and  Mrs.  Fish  became 
alarmed,  turned  pale,  and  begged  us  to  leave  the  table. 
We  did  not  comply,  and  the  concussions  were  continued 
for  full  fifteen  minutes.  At  the  close  of  this  very  noisy  ex- 
hibition, the  alphabet  was  called  for,  and  the  spelling  was, 
'We  are  all  done  for  to-night.'  They  were  not  importuned 
to  continue  the  performances,  and  we  arose  from  the  table. 

"  The  table  was  turned  up  to  see  what  impressions  were 
made,  and  a  great  number  of  deep  indentations,  in  the 
hard  cherry-wood,  manifested  the  force  with  which  the 
middle-sized  bell  had  been  thrust  against  it.  Dr.  Hayes 
took  the  bell  and  struck  the  table  with  the  battered  iron 
point  which  comes  through  the  wooden  handle,  and  made 
like  indentations,  though  nothing  like  so  deep  as  those 
made  by  the  performers.  Any  one  might  have  examined 
the  table,  and  found  the  evidence. 

(Signed)  "  One  of  the  Company." 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  [SB 

This,  coining  as  it  did  from,  and  being  endorsed  by,  re- 
spectable citizens,  was  a  strong  opposing  argument  against 
the  knee-joint  theory.  Every  one  could  see  that  either 
these  persons  had  funned  a  conspiracy  to  deceive  the  pub- 
lic, or  the  professors  were  proved  to  be  the  "humbugs" 
themselves.  Still  another  report  appeared  in  a  few  days, 
which  rendered  the  explanation  of  the  professors  still  more 
ridiculous.  It  was  from  the  pen  of  a  well-known  citizen  of 
Buffalo,  who  had  been  appointed  by  a  company  to  prepare 
it.     I  give  it  as  it  appeared  in  one  of  the  Buffalo  papers, 

-l'lRITUAL    CO^EUUXTCATIOX". 

"Mb.  Mayxard: 

"  Having  been  deputed  by  a  select  company,  who  visited 
the  two  sisters,  Mrs.  Fish  and  Miss  Fox,  at  their  room  in 
the  Phelps  House,  on  Friday  evening  last,  to  report  what 
we  there  saw  and  heard,  it  becomes  my  duty  to  ask  you  to 
give  place  to  this  communication  in  your  columns. 

k*  The  company  consisted  of  Dr.  Scott,  C.  C.  Bristol,  J. 
Stringham,  F.  Fcumsey  and  lady,  Mrs.  Bradley,  Mrs. 
Stevens,  and  myself. 

"  When  all  had  assembled  we  took  seats  around  the  table. 
Mrs.  Fish  and  Miss  Fox,  the  two  '  mediums,'  were  requested 
to  take  seats  on  a  sofa  which  stood  between  the  table  and 
the  wall.  Dr.  Scott  and  myself  were  seated,  by  arrange- 
ment, on  the  right  and  left  of  these  two  ladies,  and  they 
were  requested  to  put  their  feet  on  ours,  and  to  keep  them 
there,  which  they  did.  The  purpose  of  this  arrangement 
will  be  understood  by  the  reader.  "When  all  was  still,  the 
Spirits  (I  use  the  word  aseentingly)  commenced  such  a 
clatter  of  rappings  that  there  seemed  to  be  quite  a  com- 
pany of  them.  This,  we  were  told.  \vas  to  manifest  their 
presence  and  their  willingness  to  be  consulted. 

"The  confusion  of  sounds  ceased,  and  the  alphabet  was 


1S4  THE   MISSING   LINK 

railed  for  by  live  distinct  raps,  which  it  appears  is  the 
invariable  Bignal.  Mrs.  Fisli  called  the  alphabet,  and  the 
letters  designated  by  the  lappings  made  the  following 
words  :  k  Get  a  better  supply  of  paper  before  you  get  en- 
gaged,  and  let  your  minds  run  in  one  perfect  channel.  In 
that  way  you  will  soon  be  able  to  get  satisfactory  demon- 
,-trations.'  A  supply  of  paper  was  procured,  and  all  were 
seated  and  still  again.  Two  small  bells  had  been  placed 
under  the  table,  one  at  each  end.  When  all  was  quiet, 
the  signal  for  the  alphabet  was  given,  and  the  spelling 
which  followed  was,  '  All  sit  close  to  the  table  and  to 
each  other.  Move  the  bells.'  The  bells  were  then  moved 
to  near  the  centre  of  the  table.  Alphabet  called  again. 
'  Put  your  hands  on  the  table.'  All  obeyed  the  mandate, 
and  immediately  the  bells  commenced  ringing.  They 
rang  for  a  few  minutes,  and  again  the  alphabet  was  de- 
manded. The  spelling  was,  'You  will  perceive,  by  what 
you  have  already  heard,  that  a  great  and  mighty  develop- 
ment is  about  to  be  made  to  mankind.'  At  this  moment 
a  rap  was  heard  at  the  door,  which  was  made  by  a  gentle- 
man who  wished  to  come  in,  but  who  retired  on  being  in- 
formed that  it  was  a  private  party.  Some  remark  was 
made  by  the  younger  of  the  two  mediums,  in  relation  to 
the  interruption,  which  affected  the  other  to  tears.  A 
considerable  interval  of  silence  followed,  and  we  began  to 
fear  that  our  entertainment  would  not  be  resumed  ;  but 
the  call  for  the  alphabet  proved  that  we  had  not  been 
deserted  by  our  invisible  friends.  The  spelling  was,  'We 
want  you  to  cheer  up,  dear  children.  All  sit  close.  Hands 
od  the  table.'  Now  the  bells  commenced  ringing  again, 
moving  all  round  under  the  table,  giving  forth  tones  the 
most  musical,  mellow,  and  soothing.  The  ringing  ceased, 
and  the  alphabet  was  called.  The  spelling  was,  '  This  is 
done  to  harmonize  vou  all.' 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  185 


"  Question  by  the  acting  medium. — '  Do  the  Spirits  wish 
us  to  be  in  a  happy  state  of  mind  ? ' 

"  Answer. — '  Yes.'  Then  followed,  '  I  want  you  all  to 
reach  out  your  feet,  except  the  four  on  the  sofa.'  This  was 
done,  and  immediately  Mrs.  Stevens  said  something  had 
taken  hold  of  her  feet.  She  was  directed  to  ask  if  it  was 
a  Spirit,  which  she  did,  and  received  an  affirmative  answer. 
'  Is  it  the  Spirit  of  my  father  ? '  '  Yes,'  was  replied,  and 
the  respondent  continued,  '  we  are  glad  you  came  here.' 

"Following  this  was  a  harsh,  grating  sound,  not  unlike 
the  friction  of  a  saw  which  is  pushed  slowly  through  a 
board,  and  drawn  back  quickly.  This  was  continued  but 
a  short  time,  when  the  alphabet  was  called  for,  and  the 
spelling  was,  '  I  breathed  so  when  I  was  dying.'  Then 
the  same  sound  of  grating  was  heard,  and  it  continued  like 
one  laboring  in  the  last  moments  of  life.  These  breath- 
ings became  shorter  and  further  between,  till  a  seemingly 
ineffectual  attempt,  like  a  hiccough,  closed  the  drama,  and 
the  death-scene  was  complete. 

"  Hereupon  the  alphabet  was  called  for,  and  the  follow- 
ing address  was  spelled :  '  Such  is  the  end  of  man's  exist- 
ence on  the  earth ;  but  he  suddenly  awakes  to  a  glorious 
immortality.  This,  my  dear  friends,  is  demonstrated  to 
relieve  mankind  from  the  dread  of  changing  existence. 
The  appearance  of  suffering  is  not  real ;  therefore  I  ex- 
hort you  to  look  forward  with  joy  for  the  happy  transition 
from  earth  to  heaven.  You  have  need  of  great  watchful- 
ness and  care  that  you  may  be  permitted  to  enter  the 
society  of  the  blest.  Done.'  What  was  very  remarkable 
in  the  delivery  of  this  address,  as  the  medium  read  the 
alphabet,  the  letters  were  designated  sometimes  by  raps, 
as  usual,  and  sometimes  by  ringing  of  a  bell.  The  latter 
method  was  used,  I  think,  quite  as  much  as  the  former. 
During  the  whole  delivery  the  feet  of  the  lady-mediums 


IS'  THE  MISSING  LINE 

rested  entirely  on  those  of  Dr.  Scott  and  mine,  and  their 
hands  constantly  rested  on  the  table-  This,  as  it  seems  to 
me,  puts  to  rest  any  question  of  their  agency  in  producing 
the  sounds.  Mrs.  Stevens,  daring  the  whole  of  the  com- 
munication by  'Spirits,'  felt  a  pair  of  large  and  power- 
ful hands  grasping  her  knees,  the  pressure  of  which,  she 
avers,  was  quite  painful.  She  also  felt  a  weight  in  her 
lap,  which  was  equal  to  that  of  her  father  while  living. 
His  name  was  Asa  Hanson.  The  female  portrait  which 
hangs  in  the  Common  Council  room  is  that  of  his  daugh- 
ter, and  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Stevens.  The  latter  lady  says 
that  the  death  scene  which  was  enacted  in  our  presence 
was-a  perfect  representation  of  the  reality  which  she  had 
witnessed. 

"  At  the  conclusion  of  the  address,  it  was  asked  by  the 
acting  medium,  'Are  the  Spirits  all  done?'  Ko  reply 
was  made.  It  was  then  asked,  '  If  we  put  paper  under 
the  table,  will  the  Spirits  write  ? '  Answer  by  the  alphabet, 
'  We  will  make  marks  on  paper.'  A  piece  of  paper  was 
then  taken  and  passed  around,  to  be  examined  by  the  com- 
pany. All  saw  that  it  was  without  mark  or  scratch  of  any 
kind.  A  scratching  sound  was  then  heard  under  the  table, 
and  also  the  sound  that  is  noted  when  paper  is  torn.  The 
alphabet  was  called,  and  the  spelling  was, 'Look.'  The 
paper  was  taken  out,  and  found  to  be  torn  in  pieces  and 
scratched  as  with  a  nail,  or  some  dull  instrument.  It  was 
then  asked,  'If  we  put  paper  and  pencil  under,  will  the 
Spirits  write  ? '  Three  raps  were  given  as  answer  in  the 
affirmative,  and  the  alphabet  was  called.  The  spelling  was, 
'  Keep  your  pencil.'  Another  piece  of  paper  was  then 
handed  round.  AVc  all  examined  it  closely,  and  found  it 
all  fair  and  clean,  without  the  least  mark  whatever.  It  was 
put  under  the  table  by  the  last  examiner,  and  the  scratch- 
ing commenced.     Directly  the  alphabet  was  called  for, 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  187 

and  '  Look  '  spelled  out.  The  paper  was  taken  out,  and 
found  to  be  scratched  as  before,  and  torn  a  little;  but  the 
Spirit  had  fulfilled  its  promise.  It  had  written — for  the 
figure  7  in  plain  pencil-mark  stood  on  the  untorn  part  of 
it.  The  figure  was  found  to  be  just  one  inch  long,  and 
seemed  as  if  made  by  the  hand  of  a  farmer,  or  mechanic, 
who  aimed  at  plainness  rather  than  elegance  in  his  chiro- 
graph}'. I  have  the  paper  in  mv  possession,  and  will  ex- 
hibit it  to  any  one  who  wishes  to  see  it. 

"  I  had  forgotten  to  mention  that  during  the  communi- 
cations from  Mrs.  Stevens's  father,  she  read  the  alphabet 
part  of  the  time,  and  received  answers  by  a  rap  on  her 
foot.  She  was  too  much  excited  to  continue,  and  the  al- 
phabet was  read  by  the  medium. 

M  AVhen  the  last  paper  was  brought  out  from  under  the 
table,  we  all  expressed  a  desire  to  know  what  was  meant 
by  the  character  7.  Our  deliberations  on  that  subject  were 
soon  cut  short  by  a  call  for  the  alphabet,  and  the  meaning 
was  spelled  out  as  follows  : 

" '  Seven  of  this  party  will  be  mediums.  Do  not  ask 
which.  We  are  done  for  to-night.'  Question.  '  Will  the 
Spirits  answer  no  more  questions  ? '  Answer.  '  We  are 
done  for  to-night.     Move  away  from  the  table.' 

"  There  were  many  other  incidents  during  the  sitting. 
The  lady-medium  who  sat  next  to  Dr.  Scott  had  her  dress 
pulled  and  held  fast,  and  she  invited  the  doctor  to  try  and 
see  if  he  could  release  it.  He  made  a  strong  effort,  but 
gave  it  up  for  fear  of  tearing  it.  Several  others  had  their 
feet  handled  and  their  clothes  pulled.  I  felt  a  palpable 
pressure  against  the  inside  of  my  leg.  and  a  pinch  of  my 
ankle,  while  a  bell  was  ringing  close  to  my  feet — no  per- 
son being  near  me  but  Miss  Fox,  and  she  had  both  her 
feet  "ii  one  of  mine,  and  both  her  hands  on  the  table.  This 
is  a  faithful  statement  of  facts,  for  the  truth  of  which,  as 


188  THE   MISSING  LIXK 

far  as  they  relate  to  the  Bitting  on  Friday  evening,  I  refer 
the  reader  to  all  the  persons  whose  names  are  given  above. 
I  refrain  from  conclusions  and  comments,  and  close  with 
the  simple  declaration  that  I  am  much  puzzled  and  as- 
tonished. 

(Signed)         "  S.  Albko.  ?' 

I  may  also  be  allowed  to  introduce  a  published  letter  of 
my  own,  containing  some  important  statements  which  have 
never  been  contradicted.  It  was  from  no  spirit  of  fair- 
ness or  liberality  that  the  editor  inserted  this  letter  in  his 
columns.  Mr.  Rogers  (the  proprietor  of  the  house)  told 
me  that  he  had  heard  from  him  words  for  which  he  was 
liable  to  a  suit  by  me  for  slander,  and  that  he  would  back 
me  in  such  a  suit.  All  that  was  most  honorable  in  Buf- 
falo also  stood  by  me.  I  took  my  letter  down  to  the  ed- 
itor at  the  dinner  table  (he  boarded  at  the  hotel),  and  told 
him  he  must  publish  it  that  afternoon,  and  also  retract  his 
slanders,  or  I  would  have  him  forthwith  arrested.  This 
was  aloud,  in  presence  of  all  the  company  at  the  table. 
lie  submitted  without  resistance,  and  smoothed  down  the 
slander  by  explaining  it  away,  and  by  saying  that  he  had 
spoken  only  in  jest.  He  published,  and  I  was  satisfied — 
as  were  also  all  my  friends. 

"  Buffalo,  March  14,  1851. 
"  To  the  Editor  of  The  Commercial  Advertiser : 

"  I  gladly  avail  myself  of  the  privilege  you  have  so 
courteously  extended  to  me  to  defend  myself  through  your 
columns  against  the  aspersions  which,  if  suffered  to  pass 
unheeded,  might  bring  temporary  disgrace  upon  the  cause 
in  which  we  are  engaged  as  involuntary  though  willing  in- 
struments of  a  higher  power.  Some  time  since,  you  gave 
place  in  the  columns  of  your  paper  to  a  statement,  made  by 


IX    KODEBN   SPIRITUALISM.  189 

Professors  Lee,  Flint,  and  Coventry,  which  they  put  forth 
to  the  public  as  an  exposition  of  the  '  liochester  Knock- 
ii  ga,5  The  positions  which  they  assumed  we  knew  to  be 
fallacious  and  unsupportable,  and  we  at  once  challenged  a 
fair  and  impartial  investigation,  believing  that  it  was  not 
in  the  nature  of  these  gentlemen  to  seek  our  convic- 
tion of  fraud  contrary  to  evidence  which  I  knew  must  con- 
vince every  candid  mind.  It  is  true  that  when  our  feet 
were  placed  on  cushions  stuffed  with  shavings,  and  resting 
on  our  heels,  there  were  no  sounds  heard,  and  that  sounds 
were  heard  when  our  feet  were  resting  on  the  floor ;  and 
it  is  just  as  true  that  if  our  friendly  Spirits  retired  when 
they  witnessed  such  harsh  proceedings  on  the  part  of  our 
persecutors,  it  was  not  in  our  power  to  detain  them.  Dr. 
Lee  says  he  heard  two  sounds  when  he  held  Margaret ta's 
knees.  I  counted  five  at  one  time  during  that  operation, 
two  at  another,  and  three  at  another,  which  made  ten  in- 
stead of  two.  But  I  do  not  consider  this  circumstance  of 
any  importance  whatever.  The  spirit  in  which  they  en- 
gaged in  the  investigation  was  too  palpable  to  be  mistaken, 
evincing  too  great  a  determination  to  carry  their  points  to 
admit  of  the  possibility  of  a  conviction.  They  had  heard 
Bounds  made  by  limber  joints,  and  because  one  person 
could  produce  one  .kind  of  sounds,  made  by  knee-joints, 
they  would  have  the  community  believe  that  all  the 
Bounds  heard  in  our  presence  for  the  last  four  years  were 
produced  by  thumping  or  snapping  the  knee-joint*. 

•■  As  professional  men,  whose  reputation  is  dear  to  them, 
I  would  like  to  have  them  tell  your  readers  what  condition 
onr  poor  joints  would  be  in  by  this  time,  after  three  years' 
constant  service  in  this  almost  ceaseless  operation.  I  will 
not  call  this  quackery,  but  will  be  content  to  leave  it  to 
the  public  to  pass  judgment  on  their  professional  erudi- 
tion.    Two  of  the  professors  made  little  or  no  investiga- 


190  THE   MISSING   LIXK 

tioii.  They  were  in  our  room  but  a  few  minutes  previous 
to  the  appearance  of  the  article  in  your  paper. 

"  Pn> ft '.-.-<>r  Lee,  however,  was  in  to  see  us  frequently, 
and  at  several  times  expressed  great  surprise,  affirming, 
with  great  apparent  candor,  that  the  sounds  were  truly  as- 
tonishing. Be  witnessed  the  answers  that  were  received 
by  MY.  Chase,  which  were  all  correct  and  very  astonish- 
ing; yet  he  did  not  attempt  to  account  for  them.  >."ow. 
if  Dr.  Lee  can  account  for  the  correct  answers  that  are 
given,  as  well  as  how  the  sounds  are  produced,  it  will 
gratify  me  very  much,  and  I  will  try  to  account  for  some 
of  the  large  ones.  Mr.  Chase  called  again,  a  day  or  two 
after-that,  and  could  get  no  correct  answers  ;  but  this  was 
no  matter  of  surprise  to  me  after  his  having  been  in  close 
communion  with  Dr.  Lee;  for  we  are  taught  to  believe 
that  Spirits  associate  by  affinity,  and  if  that  be  true,  lie  was 
no  doubt  led  into  a  different  society  of  Spirits  by  associat- 
ing with  him. 

"  I  do  not  believe  the  Spirits  of  my  dear  departed  friends 
could  manifest  themselves  in  their  presence,  and  I  would 
not  willingly  call  on  them  to  mingle  in  such  society.  The 
word  '  Impostor '  grated  very  harshly  on  my  ears,  and  I 
straggle  very  hard  to  overcome  the  feelings  which  such  a 
cruel  charge  will  naturally  excite  in  every  human  bosom 
where  honor  finds  a  lodgment ;  but,  in  spite  of  all  my  en- 
deavors, I  still  feel  like  other  mortals;  and  this  feeling 
prompts  me  to  demand  justice  at  the  hands  of  a  discerning 
public,  and  especially  those  who  have  witnessed  the  entire 
success  of  the  same  experiments  which  proved  a  total  fail- 
ure with  our  Esculapian  knee-buckles. 

"  The  committees,  which  have  frequently  met  since  the 
affair  with  the  M.D.'s,  have  witnessed  all  the  experiments 
they  attempted,  and  can  testify  to  their  entire  success. 

''One  day,  in  presence  of  a  number  of  persons,  the  same 


IN  MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  191 

cushions  were  brought  out,  and  we  took  Beats,  elevated,  with 

our  feet  upon  them,  resting  on  our  heels,  when  the  sounds 
were  distinctly  heard  by  all  present.  Captain  Rounds  and 
Judge  Burroughs  were  present  on  that  occasion. 

'•Our  feet  were  held  from  the  liuor  bv  Dr.  Gray  and  Mr. 
Clark,  in  presence  of  the  whole  committee,  on  the  evening 
of  the  investigation  made  by  the  medical  gentlemen  (after 
they  left);  and  the  sounds  were  distinctly  heard,  which 
was  allowed  by  the  committee  to  be  a  far  more  satisfactory 
test,  as  they  could  distinctly  hear  the  sounds  under  their 
feet,  and  feel  the  floor  jar  while  our  feet  were  held  nearly 
or  quite  a  foot  from  the  floor.  The  whole  committee  con- 
sisted of  Dr.  Gray  and  lady,  Mr.  Clark  and  lady,  Mr. 
Everet  and  lady,  Mr.  Stringham,  Mr.  Bristol,  and  two  gen- 
tlemen invited  by  the  professors. 

"  Most  of  this  committee  were  persons  we  had  never  be- 
fore seen,  but  we  are  informed  they  are  persons  whose 
testimony  can  be  relied  upon.  I  would  like  to  have  Drs. 
Lee,  Flint,  and  Coventry  club  their  professional  lore  and 
perceptive  acumen,  and  inform  the  public  how  bells  are 
rung,  and  gongs  made  to  ring  out  tunes,  untouched  by 
human  hands  ;  for,  if  you  have  any  confidence  in  your  own 
citizens,  they  can  tell  you  what  I  nowaflirm  is  true.  I  will 
not  be  particular  to  mention  the  names  of  all  the  persons 
who  have  witnessed  these  striking  phenomena,  but  1  will 
refer  you  to  the  following :  C.  C.  Bristol,  Mr.  Gibson, 
Mr.  Stringham,  Mr.  Stephen  Dudley,  Mr.  L.  Ramsey, 
Mr.  Fond,  Mr.  Gould,  and  Mr.  Tallmadge ;  and  they  can 
refer  you  to  dozens  of  other  respectable  persons,  who  have 
witnessed  the  same. 

••  While  these  manifestations  were  going  on,  many  of  the 
persons  above-named  have  held  us  both  so  fast  by  the  feet 
that  we  could  not  stir  without  their  knowledge. 

"  They  (the  Doctors)  have  attempted  to  explain  one  of 


L92  THE   MISSING   LINK 

the  least  important  points  ;  and,  as  we  know,  have  signally 
tailed.  Now  let  them  proceed  to  the  more  difficult  points, 
or  manfully  acknowledge  their  failure  and  our  innocence 
of  fraud. 

"  As  Dr.  Lee  is  the  editor  of  the  Medical  Journal  which 
is  published  in  this  city,  and  as  he  saw  lit  to  publish  the 
injurious  report  against  our  moral  integrity,  which  was 
made  by  the  visiting  committee  of  M.D.'s.,  we  hope  he 
will  manifest  the  sense  of  honor  which  his  standing  in  so- 
ciety warrants  us  in  looking  for,  by  publishing  the  contra- 
diction, which  must  now  be  evident  to  him,  and  thereby 
make  the  reparation  as  apparent  as  the  injury.  This  would 
be  just,  if  not  magnanimous. 

"  Yours,  etc., 

"  A.  Leak  Fish." 

To  the  above  narrative  of  the  Buffalo  doctors'  affair  I 
append  an  editorial  article  from  The  Buffalo  Daily  He- 
public  : 

"  THE    PROFESSORS    AND    THE  {  KNOCKINGS.' 

"  I  think  it  was  nearly  three  weeks  ago  that  it  was  given 
out  in  a  very  authoritative  tone,  and,  if  I  am  not  very 
much  mistaken,  the  newly  returned  Minister  from  Bogota 
was  the  oracular  organ  used  on  the  occasion  to  proclaim  to 
the  '  humbugged  '  citizens  of  Buffalo,  that  in  twenty-four 
hours  we  should  hear  no  more  of  the  knockings.  The 
news  flew  about  the  city  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning, 
that  the  end  of  the  '  rappings '  was  nigh,  that  an  awful 
explosion  was  about  to  take  place.  A  lady  had  been  found 
who  produced  noises  with  the  knee-joints.  The  Uni- 
versity of  Buffalo  had  examined  the  lady's  knee-joints, 
heard  the  noises,  and  pronounced  them  identical  with  the 
sounds  produced  by  the  Eochester  ladies,  and,  what  was 


IX   MODERX   SPIRITUALISM.  193 

still  more  awful  and  astounding,  the  University  of  Buffalo 
were  about  to  print  their  report  in  the  Buffalo  (  bmmercial 
Advertiser.  Who  could  withstand  such  a  shock? — It  was 
conceded  on  all  hands  that  if  the  ladies  could  endure  the 
University  and  the  Commercial  Advertiser,  they  need 
never  fear  any  natural  catastrophe.  True  to  the  predic- 
tion, out  came  the  '  report.'  Three  wise  men  had  spoken, 
yea,  three  professors,  professors  even  of  Materia  Medica, 
Physiology,  and  of  Principles  and  Practice  of  Medicine. 
Be  it  remembered,  too,  that  the  University  was  under 
the  guidance  of  that  good  man,  Millard  Fillmore,  as  Chan- 
cellor, and  Dr.  Thomas  M.  Foote,  late  Minister  to  Bogota, 
as  one  of  its  council  men — thus  uniting  to  the  collective 
wisdom  of  the  professors  the  great  head  of  the  nation,  and 
speaking  through  his  immediate  organ,  the  Commercial 
Advertiser.  Buffalo  was  the  great  battle-ground  and  the 
University  the  great  adversary  chosen  to  annihilate  this 
already  too  wide-spread  imposture.  Xow,  do  not  under- 
stand me  as  attributing  any  unkind  motive  to  those  gen- 
tlemen professors ;  I  have  no  doubt  they  were  actuated  by 
a  nice  sense  of  duty  which  they  owed  to  science  and  to 
their  fellow-beings  to  make  the  expose.  I  could  not  say  a 
word  against  Dr.  Lee  or  Dr.  Coventry,  if  I  wanted  to  ;  they 
are  strangers  to  most  of  our  citizens,  and  only  come  among 
us  periodically,  and  I  am  informed  that  they  are  very 
much  respected  so  far  as  they  have  extended  their  acquaint- 
ance here.  Professor  Flint  has  been  a  resident  of  this 
city  for  many  years,  and  is  regarded  by  those  that  employ 
him  as  an  able  practitioner  of  medicine.  He  conducts 
the  editorial  management  of  the  Buffalo  Medical  Journal, 
in  the  last-number  of  which  he  has  devoted  a  large  portion 
of  its  columns  to  the  matter  of  these  '  mysterious  mani- 
festations.' I  am  only  sorry  that  its  circulation  is  so  lim- 
ited as  not  to  allow  the  investigating  public  to  appreciate 


194  THE    MISSING   LINK 

its  strictures.  He  intimates  that  the  ' report '  was  hastily 
drawn  up  and  contains  errors,  and  in  order  to  do  the  pro- 
fessors justice,  requests  the* press  to  recopy  the  article  as 
amended.  There  is  certainly  no  impropriety  in  all  that, 
i|  the  University  left  out  some  material  argument,  in  their 
hurry  to  explode  a  humbug  of  such  vast  magnitude.  The 
press  can  do  no  less  than  put  them  right.  But  is  it  a  fair 
mode  of  warfare  ?  I  am  exceedingly  ignorant  of  profes- 
sional etiquette  in  these  matters,  and  as  a  friend  of  the 
manifestations,  1  wish  to  ask  the  unprejudiced  public  if  it 
is  right  that  the  University,  after  having  had  their  load  and 
fire,  should  insist  that  because  the  first  charge  did  not 
bring  down  the  game,  they  should  be  allowed  another  shot 
without  some  preliminary  arrangements  ?  The  request 
is  modest  enough,  and  perhaps,  taken  in  connection  with 
the  fact  that  the  University  got  on  to  its  knees  before  the 
mediums,  in  order  the  more  readily  to  detect  the  muscular 
sensation  of  the  knee-joints  of  the  ladies,  is  a  sufficient 
offset  to  what  might  seem  an  unreasonable  afterthought. 

"  The  code  of  honor  among  gentlemen  has  settled  the 
question,  I  believe,  that  the  first  fire,  whether  mortal  or 
not,  is  sufficient  evidence  of  courage,  and  that  beyond  that, 
the  question  of  honor  is  merged  into  a  malignant  desire  to 
kill.  If  the  University  is  satisfied  that  they  have  exposed 
the  humbug,  why  ask  to  bring  in  new  proof  ?  Is  it  be- 
cause the  ladies,  instead  of  leaving  town  in  twenty- four 
hours,  have  staid  as  many  days?  Is  it  because  the  public 
are  more  anxious  than  ever  to  see  and  learn  more  of  these 
mysterious  manifestations?  Is  it  because  there  is  more 
intense  interest  than  ever  elicited,  the  more  the  subject  is 
investigated  ?  Is  it  because  intelligent  men  are  giving  the 
matter  consideration  ?  I  ask,  what  causes  so  much  dis- 
quietude in  the  minds  of  the  professors?  Have  they  shot 
off  their  gun  too  quick?     Are  they  sensible  that  public 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  196 

opinion  is  not  impressed  with  the  belief  in  their  assertions 

and  their  expose  i  Are  they  displeased  because  the  ladies 
keep  staying  in  spite  of  their  mandate  to  go  home  '.  The 
University  has  taken  up  the  cudgel  to  beat  the  hydra,  and 
as  fast  as  one  head  falls  a  dozen  new  ones  spring  out  (or 
would  if  they  could  succeed  in  knocking  one  off).  The 
manifestations,  instead  of  being  content  with  mere  knock- 
ing on  the  floor,  have  commenced  the  ringing  of  bells 
(some  large  enough  to  tire  the  arms  of  even  professors), 
pounding  under  the  table,  so  as  to  leave  visible  manifesta- 
tions, sufficient  to  satisfy  a  dozen  universities  of  its  phys- 
ical ability,  moving  furniture,  playing  on  musical  instru- 
ments, and  various  other  demonstrations  equally  wonderful 
and  satisfactory  to  all  who  see  them." 

From  one  of  Mr.  Greeley's  letters  of  this  trying  time, 
I  extract  the  following :  "Be  faithful.  Remember  how 
short  the  time  of  life  is.  Submit  to  every  lawful  investi- 
gation. "While  you  are  being  tested  by  the  doctors,  to 
prove  you  make  the  sounds  by  snapping  the  knee-joints, 
insist  on  having  a  committee  of  ladies  appointed  to  hold 
your  feet,  and  for  ever  silence  the  blasting  charge  of  toe 
rapping,  or  it  will  cover  you  with  a  cloud  of  obloquy  from 
which  you  .may  not  recover  in  years,  if  ever." 

E.  W.  (apron,  who  stood  by  us  in  our  Rochester  trials 
and  investigations,  and  who  delivered  the  first  lecture  on 
the  subject  of  Modern  Spiritualism,  was,  at  this  time, 
editor  of  the  Providence,  R.  I.,  Daily  Mirror.  From 
him  I  also  received  the  following  note  :  "I  have  not  seen 
the  whole  of  the  article  referred  to,  but  to  me,  knowing 
what  I  do,  the  theories  of  knee-pan,  or  knee-joint,  are 
equally  ridiculous.  There  never  has  been  a  time  when 
yon  could  so  completely  kill  all  opposition  as  the  present 
opportunity  offers,  if  you  go  through  the  fiery  ordeal  and 


19G  THE   MISSING   LINK 

come  out  nnscathed,  as  I  know  you  tcill,  for  I  know  you 
are  true.  Yon  have  stood  fiery  trials  before,  and  have  al- 
ways triumphed." 

After  having  met  the  several  investigating  committees, 
and  submitted  to  all  the  requirements  of  the  public  at 
large,  amidst  a  host  of  friends  who  came  to  the  Phelps 
House  to  bid  us  farewell,  with  many  who  accompanied  us 
to  the  departing  train,  we  left  them  with  mutual  feelings 
of  regret,  but  amid  their  congratulations  and  prayers  for 
our  future  prosperity. 

We  had  come  to  Buffalo  for  a  visit  of  a  fortnight.  In  a 
financial  point  of  view,  we  had  never  met  with  an  equal  suc- 
cess*. Not  a  few  of  the  principal  gentlemen  of  the  city  sent 
us  parting  gifts  of  congratulation  on  a  noble  scale  of  munif- 
icence, as  tributes  of  sympathy  for  what  we  had  had  to 
bear,  and  of  gratitude  for  the  demonstrative  proofs  of  im- 
mortality it  had  been  ours  to  bring  to  their  experimental 
knowledge. 

The  day  appointed  for  our  departure  our  hotel  apart- 
ments proved  insufficient  to  entertain  our  friendly  visitors 
who  came  to  bid  us  adieu.  The  public  parlors,  being  kindly 
assigned  to  us  for  the  purpose  by  the  proprietor,  were  filled 
to  overflowing.  Never  can  I  forget  that  day,  nor  those  dear 
and  noble  friends. 

And  thus  ended  the  short-lived  apparent  triumph  of 
"  the  Buffalo  Doctors." 


r>T   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  197 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

BUFFALO  ( Contin  ued. ) 
Letters  from  John  E.  Robinson  and  Welcome  Whittaker. 

Dubing  the  progress  of  all  this,  our  Buffalo  Campaign,  it  is 
BCarcelj  worth  while  to  say  that  I  received  no  end  of  let- 
ters of  sympathy  and  encouragement.  The  number  must 
have  counted  by  thousands  who  had  by  this  time  witnessed 
for  themselves,  not  merely  the  comparatively  small  sounds 
of  the  ordinary  rapping  near  our  persons,  but  sometimes 
great  knockings,  as  by  powerful  arms  and  heavy  hammers, 
on  all  parts  of  rooms  and  even  outside  of  them ;  together 
with  ringing  of  bells,  moving  and  lifting  of  tables,  etc. ; 
to  say  nothing  of  the  intelligent  communications  which 
identified  their  Spirit  friends,  etc.  All  such  persons 
therefore  knew  that  the  Buffalo  doctoral  theory  of  hnee- 
joints  was  impossible  and  absurd,  and  felt  no  uneasiness 
about  the  result  of  any  real  investigations.  But  many 
of  them  naturally  sympathized  with  us  under  the  harass- 
ing annoyance  in  which  we  were  placed  by  the  promulga- 
tion of  even  such  a  ridiculous  theory,  under  such  high- 
sounding  "  scientific  "  authority. 

From  these  letters  I  select  the  following. 

LETTER   FROM   JOIIX    K.    ROBINSON". 

RocnESTEK,  February  26,  1851. 

"  Dear  Leah  : 

'•  I  received  this  evening  your  note  (of  rather  diminutive 
proportions),  written  day  before  yesterday.  Having  been 
on  the  lookout  for  a  letter  for  several  days,  it  was  very 


198  THE   MISSING  LINK 

acceptable.     It  is  written  in  a  hopeful  and   encouraging 

vein,  and,  so  far  as  what  is  expressed  relates  to  myself,  I 
can  take  no  exceptions  to  its  language.  I  should  think  it 
dictated  in  some  intervening  hour  of  quiet-;  one  of  the 
few  which  pass  above  and  tranquillize  for  the  time  the 
unresting  surface  of  your  daily  life.  Such  hours,  let  them 
be  passed  when  they  may,  come  and  go  with  all  of  us ; 
and  the  dial  finger  that  marks  their  exit,  registers  also 
the  blessings  which  they  leave  upon  the  heart.  Impulsive 
as  you  are ;  accustomed  as  you  are  to  excitement,  and 
possessing  (as  you  do)  a  woman's  fondness  for  the  glare  of 
the  world's  gilded  exterior  ;  there  is  a  part  of  your  nature 
better  than  the  rest,  which  would  often  shut  out  from  the 
chamber  of  its  occupancy  those  noisy  and  obtrusive  in- 
fluences which  corrode  its  brightness  and  rob  it  of  its 
rest. 

"  That  is  the  part  of  your  being  (the  Leah)  whom  I 
would  oftenest  wish  to  have  audience  with  ;  and  in  such 
hours  as  I  speak  of  I  would  consider  it  a  luxury  equal  to 
'  Wenham  ice '  in  the  torrid  zone,  or  a  shower  of  vertical 
sunbeams  on  an  Arctic  traveller — to  knock  at  the  door  of 
that  inner  chamber,  and  finding  entrance,  to  sit  down  at 
the  table  of  your  heart  and  commune  with  you  face  to 
face.  I  have  turned  down  the  leaves  in  my  memory  where- 
on the  records  of  such  brief  communings  have  been  made, 
and  it  is  no  small  pleasure  to  refer  to  them,  as  I  often  do, 
during  these  days  of  denial.  So  seldom  it  is  now-a-days 
when  the  Spirit  I  would  talk  to  answers  my  signal  with  the 
words  '  at  home.' 

"  We  (your  friends  here)  want  you  and  the  Spirits — who 
seem  to  think  their  bread-and-butter  depends  on  their  pay- 
ing  court  (in  especial)  to  you  and  yours — to  come  to  us 
once  in  a  while— like  the  chance  sunlight  that  struggles 
through  the  bars  of  the  prisoner's  window  to  reveal  the 


IX    MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  199 

gladness  of  the  upper  world — and  rub  the  rust  from  our 
chains. 

"  Vou  ought  to  come  home  next  week,  at  any  rate,  even 
if  you  are  determined  on  going  West  again.  And  really,  I 
think  you  ought  to  visit  Cleveland  and  Cincinnati  before 
long.  You  would  find  many  good  people  in  both  places, 
who  would  rejoice  to  see  you  and  Margaretta,  and  who  are 
looking  out  for  your  adveut  there  with  no  little  anxiet}\ 

"  Mrs.  Buoh  read  to  me  last  evening  a  portion  of  a  letter 
from  her  brother,  resident,  I  believe,  in  the  latter  city,  in 
which  he  urges  her  to  come  there  and  speaks  of  things  con- 
nected with  Spiritualism  somewhat  in  detail.  I  observe 
Mr.  CogshalFs  book  is  noticed  very  fairly  in  the  National 
Era  (of  Washington,  D.  C),  a  journal  of  high  character 
for  literary  attainments.  I  will  copy  the  notice  as  follows  : 
1  We  have  read  this  book,  and  have  been  pleased  with  its 
style,  and  impressed  with  the  sincerity  of  its  author.  Still 
we  do  not  believe.  Nothing  short  of  sight  and  hearing 
can  convince  us  that  the  souls  of  the  departed  are  really 
rapping  in  such  an  audible  and  startling  manner  on  the 
Avail  which  divides  us  from  the  Spiritual  world — really 
moving  chairs  and  tables  and  ringing  bells,  and  otherwise 
disturbing  domestic  order  and  quiet.  Yet,  according  to 
this  little  history,  some  Spirits  justify  themselves  for  their 
sudden  incursions  into  our  territory,  by  giving  comfort  to 
the  mourner  and  sweet  assurances  of  a  love  which  could 
not  die.' 

"  If  all  be  an  imposture,  who  can  measure  the  depth  of 
that  depravity  which  trifles  thus  with  the  holiest  affections, 
aspirations,  and  sorrows?  Greeley  in  a  late  Tribune  has  a 
rich  joke.  He  says  :  '  Some  brainless  editor  out  in  Milwau- 
kee not  long  since  published  the  fact  that  he  had  an  inter- 
view with  the  Spirit  of  Captain  West,  of  the  steamer,  who 
reported  that  the  noble  steamer  struck  an  iceberg  and 


200  TTIE   MISSING   LINK 

went  to  the  bottom  of  the  ocean  with  all  on  board.'  Mil- 
waukee is  a  great  place  !  Our  George  (YVillets)  thinks  '  that 
Spirit  took  some  trouble  to  spread  the  news.'  It  is  pre- 
sumable that  it  was  one  of  the  Auburn  Apostolic  brethren. 
What  a  pity  that  Spirits  (some  of  them)  are  not  less  given 
to  lying.  However,  if  they  are  capable  of  falsehood  (as  we 
well  know  some  of  them  are),  it  is  better  they  should  show 
their  hands,  else  their  communications  might  work  much 
evil.  The  good  shines  out  with  a  more  glorious  brightness 
in  contrast  with  the  darkness  of  its  opposite. 

"  Enough  is  known  already  to  warrant  the  immense  in- 
terest which  this  subject  is  now  creating,  and  I  think  that 
there*  is  in  the  future  (not  very  distant)  a  glad  day  ap- 
proaching. I  am  sometimes  disposed  to  be  depressed.  I 
have  very  little  from  Spirits,  such  as  I  would  most  wish  to 
get  communications  from,  and  you  can  hardly  realize  the 
sense  of  neglect — so  to  speak — which  I  feel.  I  hope,  when 
you  return,  some  of  my  kindred  Spirits — that  delicate, 
pure-souled  sister  of  mine,  in  particular  (a  lock  of  whose 
haii*  I  took  from  among  my  papers  yesterday  and  found  it 
as  lustrous  as  when  first  taken  from  her  perishing  form), 
may  have  some  message  to  deliver  to  one  whose  love  for 
her  is  immortal.  Leah,  I  want  to  whisper  in  your  ear. 
Turn  from  the  table  and  the  sceptics  who  sit  by,  and  lend 
me  your  ears.  Last  night,  when  my  internal  senses  were 
playing  their  pranks,  I  had  a  dream  of  you.  You  were  at 
your  home,  and  my  solicitude  for  the  kingdom  had.  led  my 
steps  to  the  capital  of  the  Xew  Jerusalem.  My  best  bow 
had  been  made  to  the  Spirits,  the  last  words  to  you  had 
been  said,  and  I  was  about  going  out  of  the  gate,  when  I 
remembered  an  important  omission ;  and  turning  just  as 
you  were  closing  the  front  door,  I  cried,  '  Leah  !  Leah  ! '  and 
awoke  with  your  name  on  my  lips  ;  pronouncing  it  once 
audibly  after  I  awoke — just  to  see  if  you  could  come  and 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  2()1 

answer  me.  But  no  response  came,  not  even  an  echo  of 
my  voice  from  the  walls  of  my  room.  Leah  !  Leah  !  I  call 
again,  and  will  you  come  ? 

"  Yours  in  the  bonds  of  patience, 

"J.  E.  K." 

LETTER    FROM    WELCOME  WTHITTAKER. 

Troy,  N.  Y.,  February  24,  1851. 

"  Mrs.  Fish  : 

"  I  perceive,  by  the  Buffalo  papers,  that  you  have  had  the 
unparalleled  temerity  to  call  public  attention,  in  that  place, 
to  the  manifestations  of  Spiritualism ;  and  that,  too,  with- 
out so  much  as  consulting  for  one  moment  the  feelings, 
prejudices,  or  scientific  accumulation  of  certain  of  the 
wonderful  Faculty  there.  Well,  they  pounced  upon  you 
as  you  might  well  suppose  such  (God  forgive  me !)  scien- 
tific gentlemen  would,  conscious  as  they  doubtless  are,  that 
their  position  on  the  pyramid  of  all  human  knowledge 
is  nothing  short  of  the  very  cap-stone  itself.  Not  only 
have  they,  in  most  chivalrous  manner,  arrayed  themselves 
for  your  disrespect,  but  a  masterly  stroke,  ingeniously  given, 
shielded  the  public  forever  against  such  gross  trickery  and 
imposition  by  an  expose  of  the  whole  thing ! 

"  O  !  never  three  luckier  D(og)s  together  than  the  three 
M.D.'s  of  Buffalo,  who  in  so  short  a  time  lifted  the  veil 
and  exposed  to  open  day  the  '  very  mechanism '  by  which 
deluded  thousands  have  been  led  astray,  first  by  a  course 
of  negative  reasoning,  the  parallel  of  which,  I  venture  to 
say,  cannot  be  found  in  all  the  annals  of  philosophic  re- 
search. This  of  itself  must  be  sufficient  to  render  the 
names  of  Lee,  Flint,  and  Coventry,  at  least  notorious,  if 
not  illustrious. 

"But,  as  if  one  death  would  not  be  a  sufficient  quietus, 
they  give  the  certain  home-thrust  (the  mortal  stab),  in  the 


202  THE    MISSING   LINK 

nah  dj  positive  proof .  Now  was  there  ever  anything  equal 
to  that  \  When  will  such  philanthropy,  such  critical  dis- 
cernment,  such  zeal,  and  such  science  be  appreciated  ?  And 
last,  though  not  least,  that  highly  respectable  lady,  'who, 
by  a  mental  effort,  can  dislocate  her  knee-joints,'  and  then 
make  the  'identical'  sounds  so  foolishly  ascribed  to  the 
Spirits,  must  not  be  lost  sight  of  in  the  words  of  over- 
whelming gratitude  to  these  three  M.D.'s.  above  men- 
tioned. 

"  Dear,  kind-hearted  soul !  she  must  possess  an  unbound- 
ed share  of  the  milk  of  human-kindness.  No  one  can,  for  a 
moment,  suppose  that  she  was  solicited  to  expose  her  knees 
to  various  gentlemen  of  the  medical  profession,  for  they 
must  be  sufficiently  acquainted  with  anatomy  and  physiol- 
ogy to  know  all  the  mechanism  at  all  competent  to  produce 
those  sounds.  It  must,  therefore,  have  been  on  her  part 
perfectly  voluntary — prompted  purely  by  a  most  benevo- 
lent desire  to  expose  a  humbug.  But  Spiritualism  will 
still  progress,  and  its  advocates  shall  gloriously  ride  over 
all  adversity,  for  God  is  omnipotent. 

"  If  contemptible  meanness,  united  with  unmitigated 
scoundrelism,  can  be  found  on  this  earth,  it  resides  in  the 
blaclv  heart  of  him  who  coins  epithets  designed  to  rob  de- 
fenceless females  of  their  spotless  reputation,  which  is  ever 
of  more  value  to  them  than  life  itself. 

"I  felt,  therefore,  most  indignant  while  reading  the  two 
articles  in  the  Commercial  Advertiser  of  the  17th,  and  the 
Courier  of  the  18th,  both  of  which  I  believe  to  be  palpa- 
bly libellous ;  and  for  which,  I  have  no  doubt,  any  able 
lawyer  would  tell  you  a  suit  for  slander  would  bear  most 
beautifully. 

"I  thought  to  advise  you  to  proceed  against  these  libel- 
lers forthwith  ;  but  when  indignation  gave  place  to  mingled 
contempt  and   pity,  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  if  you 


IN   MODERN    SPIRITUALISM.  2<>3 

could  follow  the  example  of  Him  whose  persecutors  were 
the  objects  of  his  latest  petition — '  Father,  forgive  them, 
for  they  know  not  what  they  do ' — it  might  perhaps  be 
best  in  the  long  run.  But  it  is  not  always  easy  to  deter- 
mine the  exact  point  where  forbearance  ceases  to  be  a 
virtue. 

••  A  friend  from  Syracuse  told  me  the  other  day,  that  a 
sum  of  money  (he  did  not  say  how  much)  had  been  suit- 
scribed  for  the  purpose  of  having  you  visit  that  place.  I 
will  meet  you  if  I  can. 

"  Yours, 

"  Welcome  AVuittakek." 

letter  from  john  e.  robinson. 

"The  City  of  the  New  Dispensation, 
"  March  12,  1851,  Anno  Spirituum,  3. 

"  Dear  Leah  : 

"  What  a  woman  you  are !  Why  don't  you  write  to 
me  ?  You  know  how  anxious  your  friends  are  to  hear 
from  you,  and  you  promised  to  write  often  and  to  send 
papers  frequently.  Only  one  paper  have  I  received  from 
you.  Everybody  whom  you  care  a  tig  for  here  in  Ro- 
chester asks  me  about  Buffalo  and  you,  and  you.  But  I 
am  not  posted  up  and'  cannot  tell  them  of  your  triumphs 
or  escapes  from  the  hands  of  the  many-headed  hydra 
whom  you  have  slain  so  often.  Xot  having  a  line  from 
you  a  week  ago,  in  answer  to  mjT  last  letter,  I  thought  you 
intended  to  return  last  Saturday,  but  no  train  of  cars, 
which  I  have  heard  of,  brought  you  as  a  part  of  its  living 
freight,  and  ice  (that  is  I)  are  '  a-wearied '  because  you 
answer  not  our  call  to  'come.'1  Now  I  command  you.  in 
the  name  of  all  the  gods  of  the  heathen  mythology,  to 
come  to  us,  either  apiritwise  (on  a  sheet  of  paper  of  ample 
dimensions),  or  bodily  (as  would  most  effectually  comport 


204  THE   MISSING    LINK 


with  our  comfort  and  desire),  by  an  early  departing  train 
from  our  sister  city,  whose  queenly  dignity,  in  thus  aspir- 
ing to  rob  us  of  our  Spiritual  flame — the  guide  of  our  un- 
certain steps — we  are  getting  jealous  of.  I  received  a 
good  letter  from  your  witch  sister,  my  darling  little  Katie, 
this  morning.  She  writes  with  much  cheerfulness.  Says 
she  has  commenced  another  quarter  at  her  school  (in  New 
York).  She  says  also  she  is  'crazy'  to  see  me!  You 
know  just  about  what  is  intended  to  be  understood  when 
she  thus  addresses  me  (her  friend  and  adviser) ;  but  Cathie 
is  fast  learning  to  be  a  woman,  and  my  prayer  is  that  she 
may  escape  the  bitter  trials  through  which  you  and  your 
mother  have  been  called  to  pass.  She  adds :  '  We  had  a 
telegraphic  despatch  from  Maggie,  saying  she  would  be 
here  last  week  Saturday  ;  but  she  don't  come,  and  we  have 
given  up  looking  for  her.  She  says :  '  Give  my  love  to 
Leah  and  Margaretta,  and  tell  them  I  want  to  see  them.' 

"  George  Willets  and  myself  went  over  to  see  Clara 
(your  housekeeper)  yesterday.  She  is  getting  along  toler- 
ably well,  but  appears  unwilling  to  remain  much  longer 
alone.  She  is  evidently  afraid — thinks  the  Spirits  annoy 
her  at  nights.  More  than  half  of  that  is  (of  course)  imag- 
ination. Why  not  come  home,  and  go  again,  if  you 
nt Kst,  westward?.  But  here  I  am  asking  you  questions  and 
you  do  not  answer  them.  Busied  as  you  are,  and  tired  as 
you  must  be,  most  of  the  time,  it  is  too  much  of  a  task  for 
you  to  write  to  me ;  and  I  don't  know  but  George  is  right 
in  saying,  '  Leah  has  found  so  many  new  loves  that  the 
winds  blowing  eastward  come  not  freighted  with  a  thought 
of  us.''  Since  the  above  was  written  an  old  friend  from 
the  country  has  called  in  to  see  me,  and  one  of  his  ques- 
tions  was,  'Well,  do  your  views  remain  the  same  in  regard 
to  the  rapping  ? '  '  Yes,'  I  said,  '  I  have  had  no  occasion  or 
c;iuse  to  change  them.'     'Why,  Doctor  Flint's  statement 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  205 


has  explained  the  whole  thing,'  he  said,  and  added,  '  He 
writes  very  plausibly  and  conclusively  on  the  subject.' 
]S'ow,  this  friend  and  relative  of  mine  is  a  most  excellent 
man,  and  I  thoroughly  appreciate  him  as  a  good  member 
of  society,  ;m  excellent  husband  and  father,  and  an  honest 
man;  but  the  light  which  illumes  the  pathway  of  his  in- 
tellect is  not  set  on  a  very  high  hill !  Leah,  I  ought  not 
to  write  to  you,  wouldn't  if  I  could  avoid  it,  and  beg  par- 
don of  propriety  for  thus  making  a  virtue  of  necessity. 
"  Mine  to  you — not  forgetting  Maggie  and  Calvin. 

"  Yours, 

"J.  E.  K." 


20(3  THE   MISSING    LINK 


CHAPTER  XV. 

EXTRACTS  FROM  D.  M.  DEWEY'S  HISTORY. 

Letters  fkom  Rev.  Charles  Hammond  and  John  E.  Robinson. 

Before  I  proceed  to  our  next  field  of  operations,  which 
was  Ohio,  I  may  take  the  opportunity  afforded  by  the  in- 
terval to  extract  from  a  volume  entitled,  ';  D.  M.  Dewey's 
History  of  the  Strange  Sounds  or  Rappings  Heard  in  Ro- 
chester and  "Western  Kew  York,"  two  letters,  by  the  Rev. 
C.  C.  Hammond,  and  our  good  friend,  John  E.  Robinson, 
which  will  be  found  well  worthy  of  perusal. 

LETTER    FROM    REV.    CHARLES    HAMMOND. 

"Rochester,  February  22,  1850. 
"  Mr.  D.  M.  Dewey  : 

"  Dear  Sir — In  compliance  with  your  solicitation,  I  will 
proceed  to  lay  before  you  a  brief  statement  of  what  has 
fallen  under  my  observation,  in  regard  to  the  'mysterious 
sounds  '  and  '  demonstrations  '  purporting  to  be  made  by 
intelligent  Spirits,  who  once  inhabited  an  earthly  taber- 
nacle. 

"  In  the  early  part  of  January  last,  in  company  with 
other  persons,  I  gained  an  introduction  to  the  family  in 
this  city  in  whose  residence  these  sounds  had  been  heard. 
They  received  us  politely,  and  seemed  rather  more  cheer- 
ful than  what  I  had  supposed  would  be  natural  for  those 
who  were  hourly  exchanging  communications  with  the 
Spirits  of  the  revered  dead.  A  company  of  twenty  or 
more  persons  had  assembled — the  '  three  sisters '  came  into 
the  room — the  sounds  were  heard — and  through  the  me- 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  207 

(lium  of  the  alphabet,  they,  and  about  half  of  the  com- 
pany, were  directed  to  retire  to  another  apartment.  Onr 
company  in  the  absence  of  the.  'three  sisters,'  whose 
presence  is  generally  deemed  essential  to  these  Spiritual 
communications,  were  all  seated  closely  around  an  ordi- 
nary dining-table,  when  one  of  the  ladies,  bowing  her  head, 
inquired,  '  Will  the  Spirit  answer  questions  now  ? '  No  re- 
sponse being  made,  I  felt  the  disappointment  of  the  lady, 
and  was  half  inclined  to  smile  at  the  ludicrous  scene, 
when  the  searching  glance  of  her  suspicious  eye  falling 
upon  me,  bade  me  maintain  my  usual  gravity  and  respect 
toward  the  company,  and  the  occasion  which  had  called  us 
there.  After  several  ineffectual  attempts  to  get  responses 
the  sounds  were  heard,  and  the  company  generally  were 
privileged  with  answers  to  their  respective  interrogatories. 
I  availed  myself  of  the  opportunity,  but  gained  no  other 
satisfaction  than  a  prompt  assurance  that  all  my  '  test 
questions '  should  be  answered  when  I  should  come  there 
again.  I  went  away  sceptical,  though  unable  to  account 
for  the  '  sounds,'  which  caused  the  floor  occasionally  to  vi- 
brate under  my  feet. 

"  On  my  next  visit  I  was  much  more  successful.  During 
the  interval  I  had  prepared  my  mind  with  certain  ques- 
tions, touching  events  unknown  to  the  family,  and  of  a  re- 
mote date.  The  sounds  told  me  my  age  precisely,  though 
my  appearance  is  such  as  to  indicate  a  difference  of  eight 
or  ten  years.  The  names  of  six  of  my  nearest  deceased 
relations  were  given  me.  I  then  inquired,  '  Will  the  Spirit, 
who  now  makes  these  sounds,  give  me  its  name  ? '  Five 
sounds  directed  me  to  the  alphabet,  which  I  repeated  until 
the  name  of  '  Charles '  appeared,  which  answered  to  an 
infant  child  whom  we  consigned  to  the  grave  in  March, 
1843.  To  my  inquiries,  it  gave  me  a  true  answer  in  re- 
gard to  the  time  it  had  been  in  the  Spirit-land,  and  also 


*J<»S  THE   MISSING   LINK 


the  period  since  my  eldest  sister's  death,  which  was  nearly 
eighteen  years— the  latter  fact  not  being  recollected  then,  I 
found  it  true  by  dates  on  my  return  home.  Many  other  test 
questions  were  correctly  answered  ;  and  vet,  notwithstand- 
ing that  the  origin  of  these  sounds  seemed  inexplicable,  I 
was  inclined  to  impute  them  to  mesmerism  or  clairvoyance. 
However,  as  the  Spirit  promised  to  satisfy  me  by  other 
demonstrations  when  I  came  again,  I  patiently  awaited 
the  opportunity. 

"On  the  third  visit,  I  was  selected  from  a  half-dozen 
gentlemen,  and  directed  by  these  sounds  to  retire  to  another 
apartment,  in  company  with  the  '  three  sisters '  and  their 
mother. 

"  It  was  about  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening.  A  lighted 
candle  was  placed  on  a  large  table,  and  we  seated  our- 
selves around  it.  I  occupied  one  side  of  the  table,  the 
mother  and  youngest  daughter  the  right,  and  two  of  the 
sisters  the  left,  leaving  the  opposite  side  of  the  table  va- 
cant. On  taking  our  positions  the  sounds  were  heard,  and 
continued  to  multiply,  and  became  more  violent,  until 
every  part  of  the  room  trembled  with  their  demonstrations. 
They  were  unlike  any  I  had  heard  before.  Suddenly,  as 
we  were  all  resting  on  the  table,  I  felt  the  side  next  to  me 
move  upward  ;  I  pressed  upon  it  heavily,  but  soon  it 
passed  out  of  the  reach  of  us  all— full  six  feet  from  me, 
and  at  least  four  from  the  person  nearest  to  it.  I  saw  dis- 
tinctly its  position — not  a  thread  could  have  connected  it 
with  any  of  the  company  without  my  notice,  for  I  had 
come  to  detect  imposition,  if  it  could  be  found.  In  this 
position  we  were  situated,  when  the  question  was  asked, 
'  "Will  the  Spirit  move  the  table  back  where  it  was  be- 
fore ? '  And  back  it  came,  as  though  it  were  carried  on 
the  head  of  some  one,  who  had  not  suited  his  position  to 
a  perfect  equipoise,  the  balance  being  sometimes  in  favor 


IN    MODERN    SPIlMTr.VLISM. 


209 


Ground  Floor  of  Troup  St.  house.  But  note  th.it  the  rear  room  D  is  not  on  that  level, 
but  in  that  of  the  Second  Story  :  there  being  under  it  a  corresponding  dining-room  :  while 
above  A  and  C,  and  level  with  I),  were  bed  rooms;  and  A  is  the  Stair  connecting  the  two 
stories.  A,  Front  Parlor.  B,  Hall.  C,  Bed-room.  0,  Sitting-Room  (on  floor  above). 
E,  Bed-room.  F.  Stoop.  G,  Store-room  (lighted  from  the  roof),  a,  Table  moved  in 
presence  of  Dr.  Hammond,  b,  Table  moved,  see  lines,  c.  Stove,  d,  Large  parlor 
stove,    ee,  Lounges,     f.  Bureau,    g,  Piano,     h,  Stairs  to  sitting-room  D. 


210  THE   MISSING   LINK 


of  one  side  and  then  the  other.  But  it  regained  its  first 
position.  In  the  mean  time  the  'demonstrations'  became 
loader  and  louder.     The  family  commenced  and  sang  the 

'  Spirits'  Song,'  and  several  other  pieces  of  sacred  music, 
during  which  accurate  time  was  marked  on  the  table,  caus- 
ing it  to  vibrate  ;  a  transparent  hand,  resembling  a  shadow, 
presented  itself  before  my  face  ;  I  felt  fingers  taking  hold 
of  a  lock  of  hair  on  the  left  side  of  my  head,  causing  an 
inclination  of  several  inches  ;  then  a  cold,  death-like  hand 
was  drawn  designedly  over  my  face  ;  three  gentle  raps  on 
my  left  knee  ;  my  right  limb  forcibly  pulled,  against  strong 
resistance,  under  the  table ;  a  violent  shaking,  as  though 
two  "hands  were  applied  to  my  shoulders  ;  myself  and  chair 
uplifted  and  moved  back  a  few  inches,  and  several  slaps,  as 
with  a  hand,  on  the  side  of  my  head,  which  were  repeated  on 
each  one  of  the  company,  more  rapidly  than  I  could  count. 

"During  these  manifestations,  a  piece  of  pasteboard, 
nearly  a  foot  square,  was  swung  with  such  velocity  before 
us  as  to  throw  a  strong  current  of  air  in  our  faces  ;  a  paper 
curtain  attached  to  one  of  the  windows  was  rolled  up  and 
unrolled  twice ;  a  lounge  immediately  behind  me  was 
shaken  violently  ;  two  small  drawers  in  a  bureau  played 
back  and  forth  with  inconceivable  rapidity  ;  a  sound,  re- 
sembling a  man  sawing  boards  and  planing  them,  was 
heard  under  the  table  ;  a  common  spinning-wheel  seemed 
to  be  in  motion,  making  a  very  natural  buzz  of  the  spindle  ; 
a  reel  articulated  each  knot  wound  upon  it  ;  while  the 
sound  of  a  rocking  cradle  indicated  maternal  care  for  the 
infant's  slumbers.  These  were  among  many  demonstra- 
tions which  I  witnessed  that  evening,  amid  which  I  felt  a 
perfect  self-possession,  and  in  no  instance  the  slightest  em- 
barrassment, except  a  momentary  chill  when  the  cold  hand 
was  applied  to  my  face,  similar  to  a  sensation  I  have  re- 
alized when  touching  a  dead  body. 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  211 

"  That  any  of  the  company  could  have  performed  these 
things,  under  the  circumstances  in  which  we  were  situated, 
would  require  a  greater  stretch  of  credulity  on  my  part, 
than  it  would  to  believe  it  was  the  work  of  Spirits.  It 
could  not,  by  any  possibility,  have  .  been  done  by  any  of 
the  party  of  individuals  present,  nor  even  attempted, 
without  detection.  And  I  may  add,  that  near  the  close  of 
the  demonstrations  at  this  visit,  there  was  a  vibration  of 
the  floor,  as  though  several  tons  in  weight  had  been  up- 
lifted and  suddenly  fallen  again  upon  it.  This  caused 
everything  in  the  room  to  shake  most  violently  for  several 
minutes,  when  the  force  was  withdrawn. 

"  I  have  also  tested  the  intelligence  of  these  Spirits  in 
every  way  my  ingenuity  could  invent.  On  one  occasion, 
1  wrote  a  word  on  a  slip  of  paper  privately,  placed  it  in  my 
wallet,  went  there,  and  the  sounds,  through  the  alphabet, 
spelled  that  word  correctly  as  I  had  written  it.  That  word 
was  '  Sybil.' 

"  On  the  20th  of  February,  inst.,  the  two  youngest  sis- 
ters made  my  family  a  visit.  Here  the  sounds  were  heard, 
questions  involving  subjects  wholly  unknown  to  them 
were  answered,  a  large  heavy  dining-table  was  moved 
several  times ;  and  on  expressing  thanks  at  the  table  to 
the  Giver  of  all  good,  some  six  or  eight  sounds  responded 
to  every  sentence  I  uttered,  by  making  loud  and  distinct 
sounds  in  various  parts  of  the  room. 

"  Yours  truly, 

"  C.  Hammond." 

LETTER    OF   JOHN    E.    ROBLNSON. 

"  D.  M.  Dkwey  : 

*  "  Sir — As  you  have  requested  of  me  some  recital  of  my 
acquaintance  with  the  phenomena  known  as  the  '  mysteri- 
ous knockings'  or  'rappings,'  as  the  popular  term  is,  the 
following  is  cheerfully  placed  at  your  disposal. 


212  THE   MISSING   LINK 

'*  My  attention  was  first  called  to  the  subject,  I  think, by 
Mr.  Isaac  Post,  in  the  month  of  October,  ls48,  at  which  time 
Mrs.  Fish,  with  a  younger  sister,  was  living  on  Prospect 
Street.  I  had  previously  heard  accounts  of  something  of 
the  kind  which  was  said  to  have  occurred  at  Hydesville, 
Wayne  County,  of  this  State,  the  former  place  of  residence 
of  Mr.  John  D.  Fox  and  Mrs.  Margaret  Fox,  now  of  Ar- 
cadia; but  had  considered  it,  as  most  others  did,  the  mere 
offspring  of  excited  imagination,  or  a  trick  made  up  per- 
haps for  the  purpose  of  harmless  deception.  You  may 
well  suppose  that  I  sought  an  introduction  to  the  singular 
mystery  with  no  very  credulous  ear.  I  could  not  doubt 
the  honesty  of  my  friend  Post,  and  from  the  reports  which 
he  gave  of  his  experience  thus  far,  I  thought  the  contriv- 
ance must  certainly  be  an  ingenious  one  and  well  worth 
one's  while  to  unravel. 

"  I  went  in  company  with  my  friend  John  Kedzie. 
"What  transpired  on  the  occasion  of  my  first  visit,  I  do  not 
distinctly  recollect.  My  curiosity,  however,  was  only  in- 
creased, and  as  an  invitation  was  extended  for  further 
observation,  I  soon  became  more  conversant  with  the 
mystery  and  those  whom  it  seemed  more  particularly  to 
attend.  I  soon  discovered  that  I  must  utterly  doubt  the 
truthfulness  of  my  senses — which,  by  the  way,  are  not 
deficient  beyond  those  of  others — or  admit  that  there  were 
sounds  produced  in  my  presence,  in  some  manner  utterly 
unaccountable.  They  were  considered  to  be  produced  by 
spiritual  beings,  but  the  bare  fact  that  I  heard  noises  and 
could  not  account  for  them,  was  no  evidence  to  me  that 
such  was  their  origin.  Some  action  of  a  (to  me)  hidden 
law  of  nature  upon  inert  matter  might  do  this;  or  it, 
might,  in  some  way,  be  the  effect  of  animal  magnetism. 
1  wanted  to  know  if  there  was  any  intelligence  connected 
with,  and  controlling,  these  manifestations.     That  point 


IN  MODERN    BPIRITUALI8M.  213 

reached.  I  desired  to  ascertain  whether  or  not  the  signs  of 
such  intelligence  could  be  imparted  to  me  in  such  a  man- 
ner, that  I  should  know  it  was  out  of  the  power  of  these 
individuals  of  fiesh  and  blood  to  give  them. 

"I  had  been  informed  that  these  manifestations,  although 
partaking  of  the  same  general  features,  did  not  claim  to  be 
the  production  of  any  one  particular  Spirit  or  intelligence  ; 
but  that  numberless  Spirits,  those  most  naturally  drawn 
by  affinity  to  present  themselves  in  the  presence  of  visitors, 
had  and  exercised  this  power. 

"  In  accordance  with  the  hint  thus  given,  I  asked  the 
noisy  but  unseen  conversationist  if  I  could  have  the  privilege 
of  talking  with  my  sister — then  in  the  Spirit-world.  An 
affirmative  answer  being  given,  pretty  soon  a  gentle  rap- 
ping was  heard,  and  on  my  asking  if  this  was  the  signifi- 
cation of  her  presence,  the  reply  was,  yes.  I  then  asked 
a  number  of  questions,  referring  to  the  time  when  we  were 
together  in  years  long  since  past.  The  questions  thus 
asked  were  answered  promptly  and  intelligibly. 

"  Afterward  the  same  gentle  rapping  was  heard  in  the 
form  of  a  call  for  the  alphabet  (five  quick  successive  raps). 
The  letters  were  called,  and  a  sentence  spelled  out  (unsug- 
gested  by  any  query),  addressed  to  me  and  commencing, 
'  Brother,  do  you  remember,'  etc.  I  have  not  the  memo- 
randa made  at  the  time  and  cannot  recall  the  precise  lan- 
guage of  the  communication  ;  but  the  impression  then  made 
upon  my  mind  was  that  it  was  exceedingly  like  my  sister. 
They  were  her  thoughts,  clothed  in  the  self-same  drapery 
which  she  was  accustomed  to  throw  around  them.  She  men- 
tioned the  disease  of  which  her  body  died  (consumption), 
and  alluded  to  the  protracted  cough  accompanying  it.  I 
asked  if  she  was  happy,  and  received  an  affirmative  reply. 
She  told  me,  in  reply  to  my  queries,  that  human  Spirits 
after  they  leave  this  stage  of  existence  enter  upon  a  sphere 


214  THE   MISSING  LINK 

in  advance  of  the  one  they  pass  from  ;  that  they  are  the 
subjects  of  an  universal  law,  that  of  progress,  and  occu]>v 
Buch  sphere  as  the  state  of  their  purity  and  advancement, 
at  the  time  of  death  (so-called),  prepares  them  for,  and 
as  various  in  its  arrangements  as  are  the  classes  of  Spirits; 
that  the  '  many  mansions  in  the  Father's  house,'  are  but 
the  varied  spheres,  suited  to  the  wants  and  conditions  of 
their  occupants. 

"  Since  the  occasions  above  alluded  to,  and  many  times 
during  the  past  year,  I  have  had  opportunities  of  this  kind. 
Very  frequently  when  I  have  been  at  the  house  of  Mrs. 
Fish,  the  time  and  attention  of  these  manifestations  have 
been  engrossed  by  other  visitors,  and  often,  on  such  occa- 
sions, I  have  been  exceedingly  interested.  In  a  multitude 
of  instances  I  have  seen  individuals  there,  entire  strangers 
to  the  family,  whose  questions  have  been  answered  by 
these  invisible  agencies  with  the  utmost  accuracy.  I  re- 
member at  one  time  while  there,  a  gentleman  and  his  wife 
called  and  begged  an  opportunity  for  a  few  moments. 
They  were  non-residents  of  the  city,  and  desired  to  leave 
town  on  the  morrow.  The  request  was  granted.  We  all 
took  seats  around  the  table,  and  permission  was  given  the 
gentleman  to  ask  questions.  To  the  question  'How  many 
children  have  I  had  ? '  the  reply  was,  one.  '  Is  it  living?' 
The  question  being  reversed,  the  signal  intimated  to  the 
father  (what  was  the  case)  that  the  child  was  in  the  Spirit- 
world.  He  asked  the  child's  age  at  the  time  of  its  death, 
and  the  length  of  time  that  had  elapsed  since  its  death, 
which  queries  were,  as  he  said,  correctly  answered.  He 
then  asked  if  the  Spirit  of  that  child  would  be  allowed  to 
converse  with  him  ;  an  affirmative  was  given,  and  soon  a 
roll  of  light  sounds  announced  the  presence  of  the  little 
one.  A  signal  for  the  alphabet  was  given,  and  the  child- 
like Spirit  spelled  out  a  communication  to  its  earthly  parent, 


IN  MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  215 

the  effect  of  which,  upon  the  father,  told  but  too  plainly 
the  reality  of  the  semblance.  The  mother  then  asked  a 
few  questions,  such  as  '  Are  you  very  happy  ( '  'Are  you 
often  with  me  I '  '  Must  I  cease  to  grieve  that  I  have  lost 
yon,  and  remember  that  you  are  permitted,  although  un- 
seen, to  be  with  me  still  ? ' 

"  That  mother  left  the  room  in  tears ;  but  they  were  not 
the  outburst  of  sorrow.  Gladness  was  in  her  heart  (as  she 
said)  for  the  first  time  since  she  laid  her  darling  child — her 
first-born — down  to  sleep  on  the  bosom  of  its  mother  earth. 

"  I  might  give  you  a  variety  of  instances  to  which  I  have 
been  a  witness,  wherein  a  remarkable  perception  has  been 
evinced  by  these  agencies ;  but  a  statement  of  such  things 
goes  but  a  little  way  toward  convincing  a  sceptic,  or  satis- 
fying the  mind  of  any  one  who  has  not  the  opportunity  of 
observing  for  himself.  The  human  mind  admits  with  ex- 
treme reluctance  the  truth  of  things  which  it  has  been 
trained  to  believe  without  the  range  of  possibility. 

"  I  have  thus  given  to  you,  as  briefly  as  possible,  what  you 
have  asked  me  for.  My  convictions  are  the  result  of  pa- 
tient and  honest  investigation,  extending  through  a  period 
of  sixteen  months.  They  are  fixed — so  far  as  the  prime 
fact  is  concerned,  that  a  communication  exists  between 
the  inhabitants  of  '  this  breathing  world,'  and  a  distinct 
order  of  intelligences  invisible  to  the  outward  eye.  If  at 
any  time  I  embrace  an  error,  I  would  thank  him  who 
should  point  it  out  and  demonstrate  the  truth.  But  mere 
argument,  however  ingenious,  can  never  move  my  convic- 
tions on  this  subject.  I  have  submitted  everything  to  the 
scrutiny  of  such  powers  as  God  has  given  to  the  highest 
nature  I  possess,  and  know  no  better  guide  to  lead  rae  :  and 
any  evidence  which  shall  change  my  opinions  must  reach 
me  through  the  same  channels  of  the  mind  by  which  these 
convictions  entered  it. 


216  THE   MISSING   LINK 


"  Perhaps  it  would  not  be  out  of  place,  in  this  connection, 
to  slate  (what  many  are  aware  of )  that  the  family  to  whom 
I  have  alluded  as  the  ones  in  whose  presence  these  mani- 
festations occur — although  by  no  means  the  only  ones — 
have,  in  consequence  of  the  circumstances,  been  subject  of 
much  misrepresentation,  and,  in  some  instances,  of  serious 
wrong.  This  might  have  been  expected  at  the  hands  of 
those  who  are  ever  ready  to  cast  opprobrium  on  individual 
character  if  it  chance  to  be  allied  in  any  way  to  what  to 
tin  111  is  unaccountable,  or  cannot  be  made  to  serve  their 
peculiar  views  and  purposes.  During  my  acquaintance 
with  them  I  have  never  discovered  the  least  ground  for 
the"  justice  of  such  charges.  I  have  known  them  intimately 
nearly  a  year  and  a  half,  and  some  of  my  friends  have  been 
acquainted  with  them  for  many  years.  No  one  has  ever 
suggested  to  me  the  belief  that  any  of  the  family  had  been 
guilty  of  any  departure  from  moral  rectitude.  I  have  uni- 
formly been  treated  by  them  with  courtesy  and  kindness  ; 
and  they  have,  on  all  proper  occasions,  extended  to  me  such 
facilities  as  were  requisite  to  enable  me  to  prosecute  my 
inquiries.  They  make  no  ultra  pretensions  to  what  the 
world  calls  piety,  neither  do  they  claim  exemption  from  the 
venial  faults  which  exist  more  or  less  in  all  their  fellow- 
beings.  Neither  do  they  set  up  the  false  claim  (which 
some  exceedingly  soft  heads  have  imputed  to  them)  that 
they,  as  individuals,  are  inspired,  or  have  a  mission  from 
the  Deity  to  this  world.  They  are  merely  the  passive 
media  through  whom  these  communications  are  made  to 
us,  from  the  world  of  Spirits. 

"  Recognizing  then,  as  I  do — what  to  me  is  undeniable — 
that  for  some  wise  pnrpose,  intelligences  in  another  sphere 
of  existence  are  permitted  to  communicate  with  us  in  this 
way,  numberless  questions  have  suggested  themselves  to 
my  mind. 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  217 

"  As  nothing  important  ever  takes  place  in  the  wide 
realm  of  the  Universe,  unconnected  with  a  jmrpose,  what 
is  the  aim  of  this  ? 

"  I  answer — as  I  did  involuntarily,  in  the  first  stage  of  my 
experience — to  teach  mankind  that  what  they  have  been 
harboring  as  a  shadow,  but  never  known,  is  in  truth  a 
reality  ;  that  the  interior  man,  the  sentient  being 

'  That  stirs  within  and  animates  the  clay,' 

is  immortal  and  never  dies.  This  consideration,  were  there 
no  others,  is  quite  sufficient.  But  it  is  not  to  be  supposed 
that  we  have  yet  been  made  acquainted  with  all  the  bearings 
which  it  is  to  have  upon  us  and  our  welfare.  If  these  Spirit- 
ual beings  are  indeed  what  they  purport  to  be — human 
Spirits — our  own  kith  and  kin,  who  once  walked  with  us  on 
earth,  and  still  sympathize  with  us  ;  then,  indeed,  we  may 
be  immensely  benefited  by  what  they  may  unfold  to  us. 
That  they  are  such,  I  have  no  positive  knowledge  or  evi- 
dence, and  none  sufficiently  strong  to  warrant  the  assertion. 
It  is  somewhat  difficult  to  identify  them,  with  our  present 
crude  and  limited  knowledge.  The  best  we  can  do,  is  to 
judge  for  ourselves  from  the  correspondences  of  things.  If 
I  converse  with  a  Spirit,  and  its  language — as  addressed  to 
me — corresponds  closely  with  the  mind  of  that  individual, 
as  I  knew  it  in  this  life — and  particularly  if  it  alluded  to  oc- 
currences known  only  to  myself  and  it — I  have  an  analog- 
ical evidence  of  its  identity.  On  the  other  hand,  if  such 
Spirit  gives  me  a  communication,  the  sentiment  and  struct- 
ure of  which  are  totally  at  variance  with  my  perception 
of  the  individual  thus  personated,  I  have  the  same  kind  of 
evidence  (but  no  other)  that  the  said  Spirit  has  sought  to 
deceive  me. 

"Thua  you  will  perceive  my  impression  to  be  that  Spirits 
of  various  grades  of  intelligence  and  moral  dignity  in  the 


218  THE   MISSING   LINK 

scale  of  being,  are  allowed  the  same  power ;  and  those 
persons  who  seek  intercourse  with  the  good,  need  all  the 
panoply  of  truth  and  sincerity  to  guard  them  from  contact 
with  the  opposite. 

"  This  admission,  however,  is  by  no  means  condemnatory 
of  the  whole  matter.  A  Wisdom,  exceeding  man's,  allows 
good  and  evil  men  to  live  in  this  world  ;  but  it  does  not 
follow  that,  because  I  may  occasionally  chance  to  meet  with 
one  of  the  latter,  I  am  to  deny  myself  communication  with 
the  former.  We  must  do  the  best  we  can  in  our  condition ; 
act,  as  well  as  we  may,  the  part  for  which  we  are  adapted 
by  the  attributes  with  which  Deity  hath  endowed  us.  And 
if,  in  order  to  commune  occasionally  with  a  bright  being 
of  the  upper  sphere,  I  am,  at  times,  subjected  to  annoyance 
by  one  of  a  lower  order  (a  devil,  if  you  please),  I  can  well 
afford  it,  and  come  off  best  in  the  finale.  These  unseen 
devils,  after  all  the  disrespect  that  has  been  shown  them, 
if  I  have  met  them  in  council,  have  evinced  the  possession 
of  nothing  much  worse  than  ignorance. 

"  And  here  let  me  say,  I  am  of  the  serious  opinion  that 
all  the  devils  of  the  universe  are  not  yet  congregated  in  the 
Spirit-world.  Many,  alas !  too  many  of  them,  are  clothed 
with  human  forms,  and  move  in  our  midst,  visible'to  the  com- 
mon eye.  They  are  spirits  of  darkness,  with  a  moral  deprav- 
ity which  would  do  no  discredit  to  any  locality  ever  dreamed 
of  in  a^vision  of  hell  itself.  Their  presence  is  confined  to 
no  one  particular  class.  They  enter  your  Senate  chamber 
even,  sometimes,  and  distract  the  councils  of  honest  men. 

"  So  will  it  be,  in  that  strange  economy  which  our  dark 
vision  seeks  in  vain  to  fathom,  until  man  attains  that 
higher  stature,  that  more  perfect  being  to  which  we  must 
all  hope  he  is  ultimately  destined. 

"  Respectfully  yours, 

"Rochester,  March  C,  1850."  "J.  E.  Robinson. 


IN    MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  219 


CHAPTER  XVI. 
THE  OHIO  CAMPAIGN. 

Return  to  Rochester — Attempted  Burglary — Summons  to  Ohio 
— "  Rev."  C.  C.  Burr — "  Toe-ology  "—Gold  Medals  and  Jew- 
elled Watch — First  Public  Speech— Committee  Investiga- 
tions as  usual — Calvin's  Illness,  and  Henceforth  Mrs. 
Brown — First  Spiritual  Convention. 

We  reached  our  home  in  Rochester  late  in  the  evening, 
and,  as  my  housekeeper  was  absent,  we  were  alone  in  the 
Troup  Street  house  that  night.  The  friends  had  kindly 
lighted  and  warmed  the  house,  and  were  there  to  receive 
us.  After  they  left  we  immediately  retired,  and  were 
soon  lost  in  sleep.  I  had  not  slept  long,  however,  when  I 
was  awakened  by  a  voice  saying  urgently  in  my  ear,  "  Get 
up  and  light  your  candle,  quick  !  "  Supposing  that  Mar- 
garetta  had  spoken  to  me,  I  replied,  "  What  did  you  say  ? " 
but  finding  her  fast  asleep,  I  scratched  a  match,  and  had 
just  time  to  see  the  form  of  a  man  who  had  got  the  lower 
sash  raised  and  half  his  body  into  the  room.  He  was,  of 
course,  a  burglar,  and  doubtless  expected  to  find  a  booty 
in  the  money  which  the  papers  had  reported  us  to  have 
brought  with  us  from  Buffalo.  My  voice  and  the  flash  of 
light  made  hitn  start  back  so  precipitately  that  he  broke 
the  window-sash  while  making  his  exit.  The  visit  was 
never  repeated.  I  may  have  mentioned  that  once  before, 
in  my  former  house  in  Prospect  Street,  we  had  been  awak- 
ened by  a  voice  bidding  us  to  "  Get  up,  the  house  is  on 
fire."  We  found  that  the  wood-box  behind  the  stove  in 
the  sitting-room  was  in  flames,  which  would   soon   have 


220  THE   MISSING   LINK 

been  communicated  to  the  door,  within  a  few  inches  of 
the  staircase,  which  was  our  only  means  of  egress  and 
safety. 

On  the  morning  after  our  return  from  Buffalo,  to  my 
great  surprise,  mother  drove  up  to  the  door,  having  just 
arrived  by  the  train  from  New  York.  IJer  first  words 
were,  "  What  is  the  matter  ?  I  have  been  so  urgently  di- 
rected to  come  to  you,  that  I  feared  something  had  hap- 
pened, or  was  going  to." 

She  and  Katie  had  remained  in  New  York,  during  the 
time  of  our  stay  in  Buffalo,  with  the  friends  before  named. 
I  may  here  mention  that  Katie  attended  school,  all  the 
time*  she  remained  in  New  York,  during  the  day  hours, 
and  sometimes  united  in  the  seances  held  by  the  friends  in 
the  evenings.  Mr.  Greeley  often  said,  on  the  strength  of 
her  childish  letters,  "  Katie,  I  expect  to  see  you  develop 
into  another  Margaret  Fuller  some  clay,  if  you  will  only 
give  your  attention  to  study."  We  employed  private 
teachers  fur  the  children,  at  the  hours  not  compulsorily 
absorbed  by  the  public.  I  gladly  stood  the  brunt  of  the 
labors  for  their  benefit  in  the  matter  of  their  education. 
(See  Mi-,  liobinson's  letter  of  March  12,  1851,  p.  203.) 

After  explanations,  the  upshot  was  that  mother  returned 
the  same  evening  to  rejoin  Katie  in  New  York,  taking 
Margaietta  with  her.  Soon  after  our  return  to  Troup 
Street  it  became  necessary,  to  my  great  regret,  to  leave 
the  house,  as  the  property  had  to  be  sold  for  division 
among  heirs ;  but  1  found  a  much  larger  and  finer  house 
on  the  corner  of  Troup  and  Sophia  Streets.  The  fatigues 
of  moving,  following  so  soon  upon  the  Buffalo  inquisition, 
brought  on  a  serious  illness,  from  which  I  had  scarcely 
recovered  when  I  received  such  insisting  summons,  by  let- 
ters and  telegrams,  from  good  friends  in  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
that  I  was  compelled  to  undertake  the  journey,  which 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  221 

proved  to  be  the  beginning  of  what  was  called  "  the  Ohio 
campaign." 

So  did  events  arrange  themselves,  or  so  did  other  influ- 
ences arrange  them,  to  compel  us  to  widen  more  and  more 
the  fulfilment  of  the  "duty''  to  "go  forth"  which  had 
been  imposed  upon  us.  Among  the  telegrams  from  Cleve- 
land, received  when  I  was  on  a  sick  bed,  was  this  one: 
"  Mrs.  Fish,  we  want  you  to  come  immediately  to  Cleve- 
land. It  is  vitally  important."  To  which  Mr.  Post  re- 
plied, "  Mrs.  Fish  is  not  well,  and  we  think  it  would  be 
dangerous  for  her  to  leave."  Then  came  another,  saying, 
"  Burr  is  here,  slandering  you  and  all  who  believe  in 
Spiritualism." 

Still,  my  friends  insisted  on  my  waiting  until  I  was 
stronger,  when  a  letter  came  containing  a  partial  explana- 
tion of  the  "  Kev."  Burr's  villanous  conduct  toward  me. 
lie  had  slandered  me  so  grossly  that  my  friends  would  not 
allow  him  to  go  unpunished.  They  had  arrested  him  in 
my  name,  and  it  was  necessary  for  me  to  be  there  in  per- 
son. I  also  received  the  following  letters  from  a  valued 
friend : 

"  Cleveland,  April  25,  1851. 
"  Mrs.  Fish  : 

"  Dear  Lady — There  are  many  reasons  why  you  should 
visit  our  city.  One  is,  we  are  anxious  to  witness  the  Spirit 
manifestations,  and  another  reason  is,  that  the  world- 
renowned  cheat,  C.  Chauncy  Burr,  will  soon  be  here  to  ex- 
pose the  Rochester  rappings  and  the  mediums.  I  wonder 
if  he  will  succeed  as  well  as  Flint,  Lee,  and  Coventry  did  in 
Buffalo !  All  this  and  more,  makes  it  desirable  that  you 
should  come  at  once. 

"  Very  Respectfully, 

"M.  L.  Wmght." 


"2'2'2  THE   MISSING   LINK 

"Cleveland,  May  1,  1851. 

"Mks.  Fish  : 

"  Dear  Fkiend — Yours  of  the  28th  inst.  is  at  hand.  "We 
are  glad  (as  you  see  by  the  Plaindealer  which  we  have  to- 
day sent  you)  that  you  have  concluded  to  come.  You  have 
many  friends  here  who  will  make  your  visit  pleasant,  and  not 
disappoint  your  expectations.  As  regards  Burr,  his  tongue 
is  no  slander  where  he  is  known.  AVe  have  decided  the 
Dunham  House  (for  many  reasons)  is  the  best,  as  you 
can  have  a  first  floor  parlor  with  three  rooms  attached, 
and  the  house  is  as  respectable  as  any  in  the  place,  though 
perhaps  not  quite  as  large  as  the  AVeddell.  You  will  be 
much  better  accommodated.  The  table  is  first-class.  Tele- 
graph the  day  you  will  start  so  that  we  may  know  when 
to  expect  you,  as  every  one  feels  anxious  to  meet  you. 
"  AVith  kind  regards,  yours  truly, 

"  M.  L.  Weight." 

All  this  decided  my  course  and  I  went.  And  as  my 
mother  and  the  two  girls,  Margaretta  and  Cathy,  were  in 
Xew  York,  my  married  sister,  Mrs.  Smith,  and  her  dear 
little  boy  Charlie,  and  Calvin  Brown,  accompanied  me. 
Imagine  our  surprise  when  we  arrived  at  Cleveland.  A 
party  of  our  true  friends  escorted  us  from  the  boat  to  the 
hotel,  where  they  informed  us  they  had  arranged  for  a 
drive  to  a  water-cure  resort  some  ten  or  twelve  miles  in 
the  country. 

As  soon  as  we  had  breakfasted  and  prepared  ourselves, 
we  started  on  our  excursion.  There  were  several  car- 
riages, and  I  think  not  more  than  two  persons  in  the  com- 
pany whom  I  had  ever  met  before.  Soon  after  our  arrival, 
the  ladies  took  us  into  a  beautiful  grove  and  carefully  ex- 
plained to  me  the  nature  of  the  slanders  the  Rev.  C.  C. 
Burr  had  reported  against  me. 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  223 


I  think  they  were  somewhat  surprised  at  the  indifference 
I  manifested.  Atrocious  as  his  slanders  had  been,  I  could 
not  work  up  my  mind  to  deem  them  worthy  of  my  stoop- 
ing to  notice  them.  I  said  to  them,  "  If  you  ladies  had 
passed  through  one  half  the  abuse  I  have,  for  the  past 
two  years  or  more,  you  would  not  wonder  that  I  am  per- 
sonally quite  indifferent  to  what  all  my  enemies  may  say 
against  me."  However,  it  was  well  that  they  had  prose- 
cuted Burr,  as  they  put  him  under  heavy  bonds,  and  com- 
pelled him  to  keep  the  peace,  and  hold  his  slanderous 
tongue. 

Mother  and  the  girls  returned  to  Rochester  about  three 
weeks  after  I  left  for  Cleveland.  The  children,  Maggie 
and  Cathy,  were  persuaded  to  go  to  Cincinnati  with  a  lady 
friend  of  ours  from  Rochester,  Mrs.  Kedzie,  who  had  con- 
ceived the  idea  of  a  western  tour  of  mediumistic  exhibi- 
tions, and  knowing  that  I  was  in  Cleveland,  they  stopped 
at  our  hotel  to  see  us.  Maggie  could  not  be  persuaded  to 
go  further.  Cathy,  too,  thought  it  would  be  much  more 
pleasant  for  her  to  remain  with  us  at  Cleveland,  but  inas- 
much as  Mrs.  K.  had  come  with  them,  expecting  to  go  on 
to  Cincinnati,  I  argued  that  having  come  with  her,  they 
should  fulfil  their  engagement.  Finally  it  was  decided 
that  sister  Maria  should  accompany  Cathy,  with  her  little 
boy  and  Mrs.  K.,  to  Cincinnati,  and  Maggie  remain  with 
Calvin  and  myself. 

I  found  out  that  the  girls  had  left  greatly  against 
mother's  wishes,  and  I  telegraphed  her  to  come  immedi- 
ately to  Cleveland,  which  she  did.  Mrs.  K.  and  my  sixers 
remained  in  Cincinnati  about  three  weeks,  and  stopped  at 
Columbus,  expecting  to  remain  there  sometime;  but  when 
they  had  been  there  about  a  week  little  Charley  was  taken 
very  ill.  His  life  was  despaired  of  for  several  days,  dur- 
ing which  time  all   business  was    suspended,  and   Mrs. 


224  THE   MISSING   LINK 

Kedzie  returned  to  Rochester.  My  sister  Maria's  husband 
arrived  about  that  time  and  found  the  child — as  waa 
thought— hopelessly  ill. 

I  was  greatly  distressed,  and  my  friends  gathered  around 
to  condole  with  me.  Every  hour  brought  a  despatch  sa\  - 
ing,  "  Charley  still  lives."  I  could  do  nothing  but  walk 
the  floor  and  cry  in  my  despair.  I  had  been  the  means  of 
bringing  him  from  home,  and  I  blamed  myself,  knowing 
the  effect  it  would  have  on  my  brother-in-law  and  sister, 
if  they  should  lose  their  only  child,  after  having  already 
lost  three  dear  little  boys.  In  our  private  room  we  called 
on  the  Spirits  to  advise  us  what  to  do.  They  directed  us 
to  telegraph  at  once  to  Columbus  to  "bring  him  here"  (to 
Cleveland).  We  followed  their  directions.  They  started 
immediately,  and  when  they  arrived  the  child  seemed  in 
a  dying  condition. 

I  took  him  in  charge,  and  with  the  aid  of  Spirit  advice 
soon  found  him  convalescing.  As  soon  as  he  was  able 
they  returned  home. 

Floods  of  letters  summoned  us  to  all  parts  of  the  State. 
I  had  even  to  hire  other  persons  to  help  in  the  labor  of 
answering  them.  Nor  shall  I  now  undertake  a  narrative 
of  our  tour.  As  a  general  rule,  so  far  as  it  was  possible, 
we  followed  in  the  tracks  of  our  arch-enemy,  the  "  Rev. 
C.  Chauncy  Burr  ; "  and  it  was  often  announced  that  when 
he  should  have  concluded  his  course  of  lectures,  the  Fox 
family  would  succeed  him  and  afford  the  public  the  oppor- 
tunity of  judging  for  themselves.  As  the  Buffalo  doctors 
had  gone  in  for  their  theory  of  knee-ology  (with  Avhat  suc- 
cess the  reader  has  seen),  so  the  Burr  theory  may  be  called 
that  of  tocology  ;  for  he  had  conceived  the  brilliant  idea 
of  producing  a  sort  of  low  raps,  inside  a  wide  boot,  by 
striking  his  great  toe  upon  the  sole,  as  any  one  may  do 
upon  the  table  by  pressing  and  over-lapping  the  middle 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  225 

linger  by  the  index  and  suddenly  releasing  the  latter.  His 
brother  Heman  was  the  one  who  thus  operated,  while  he 
himself  figured  as  the  lecturer.  The  head-waiter  of  the 
hotel  at  which  Burr  stopped,  told  nie  how  his  toes  were 
inflamed  and  bloody  from  this  exercise,  and  how  many  a 
poultice  he  had  had  to  supply  him  with.  The  difference 
was  always  manifest  between  the  mere  underfoot  uniform 
sounds,  yielded  by  this  miserable  trick,  and  the  variety  of 
the  "knockings"  on  tables,  floors,  doors,  walls,  and  ceil- 
ings— now  faint,  now  approaching  the  thunderous — to  say 
nothing  of  the  identification  of  the  Spirits  who  were  rap- 
ping to  us,  through  the  recognized  significance  and  truth  of 
their  communications.  Burr  was  at  last  almost  hooted 
and  pelted  out  of  the  State ;  and  at  the  court-house  of 
Painesville  we  were  taken  to  see  the  marks  of  the  showers 
of  shattered  eggs  and  muddy  pieces  of  turf  which  remained 
to  attest  the  reception  he  had  received  the  day  before. 

Our  progress  was  a  course  of  triumph.  I  might  fill  a 
page  with  the  names  of  the  friends  in  all  quarters  of  the 
State,  including  its  best  men  and  women,  between  whom 
and  myself  arose  friendships  which  time  will  never  obliter- 
ate from  my  heart.  I  will  only  name  one  who  was  to  us 
in  Ohio  what  Greeley  was  in  T*vew  York,  John  W.  Gray, 
the  editor  of  The  Pla'mdmler,  and  his  wife,  one  of  the 
loveliest  and  best  of  women. 

Out  of  the  trunks  and  boxes  of  letters,  whose  contents 
are  beyond  my  power  to  explore,  I  have  taken  a  few, 
almost  at  random,  with  no  time  for  selection,  which  are 
given  below,  and  from  which  the  reader  ma}-  gather  some 
particulars  of  this  period,  which  will  in  part  supply  the 
place  of  a  narrative  of  our  experiences  in  this,  which  I  have 
called  our  Ohio  campaign.  But  I  must  mention  the  inter- 
esting incidents  of  two  gold  medals  having  been  presented, 
the  one  to  myself,  in  Cleveland,  when  I  was  about  to  leave, 


THE   HISSING   LINK 


the  other  to  Maggie,  at  Cincinnati.  To  Katie  was  pre- 
sented a  beautiful  jewelled  watch  and  chain.  I  indulge 
myself  in  the  pleasure  of  showing  mine  to  my  readers.  I 
am  unable  to  show  Maggie's  (which  was  oval)  because  it 
has  been  unfortunately  lost  in  a  trunk  that  was  stolen.  I 
say  nothing  of  beautiful  presents,  in  diamonds  and  other 
jewelry,  etc.  from  ladies  and  gentlemen,  who  often  seemed 


to  feel  that  they  could  not  do  too  much  to  show  us  their 
gratitude  for  the  certain  and  realized  knowledge,  received 
through  us,  of  the  great  truth  that  our  loved  and  lost  still 
live  and  love  us,  and  that  "  death"  is  only  a  brief  separa- 
tion of  those  soon  to  be  reunited  forever. 

The  following  letters  accompanied  my  medal  and  Katie's 
watch  and  chain.  The  substantially  similar  one  accom- 
panying Maggie's  medal  seems  to  have  been  lost. 

"  Cleveland,  July  1,  1851. 
k-  Mrs.  A.  Leah  Fish  : 

"  Dear  Friend — We  the  undersigned  present  }-ou  with 
this  emblem  as  a  sincere  token  of  our  love  and  affection. 

"  You  have  been  faithful  and  steadfast  in  all  your 
duties.  You  have  been  instrumental  in  bringing  us  to  a 
realization  of  the  truth  of  Immortality. 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  227 

"  May  yon  be  blessed  with  health  and  crowned  with 
victory,  and  triumph  over  your  enemies,  is  the  prayer  of 
your  united  friends. 

K.  E.  Crittenden,  M.  C.  Wright, 

D.  A.  Eddy,  S.  D.  Ivklly, 

Dr.  Bigelow,  Anthony  M.  Reynolds, 

John  W.  Gray,  A.  Underhill, 

R.  L.  Paine,  E.    Hinkly,   Artist,    and 

Dr.  Underhill,  Designer  of  the  Medal" 

"Cincinnati,  O.,  July  9,  1851. 
"  Miss  Catharine  Fox  : 

"The  individuals  whose  names  are  hereunto  attached, 
having  faith  in  your  integrity,  as  a  testimonial  of  their  re- 
gard for  yon  personally,  and  of  the  gratification  they  have 
enjoyed  through  you  as  a  Medium  for  Spiritual  communi- 
cations, desire  you  to  accept  the  watch  and  chain  which 
will  be  presented  to  you  by  your  friend,  Mr.  E.  F.  Norton. 
B.  Ukner,  John  D.  Park, 

W.  T.  COGGSHALL,  JaMES  GoODIN, 

Charles  II.  Erwin,  Daniel  Gano, 

S.  II.  Titus,  C.  J.  W.  Smith, 

Ralph  Valentine,  E.  F.  Xorton, 

Augustus  "Wattles." 

I  will  mention  one  other  incident  in  the  course  of  our 
Ohio  experience,  as  being  the  first  occasion  on  which  I  was 
compelled,  and  mustered  the  courage,  to  address  a  short 
speech  to  an  audience.  On  an  urgent  invitation  we  went 
to  Painesville  toward  the  last  of  May.  We  arrived  there 
late  in  the  afternoon.  We  found  many  friends,  in  the 
parlor  of  the  hotel,  awaiting  our  arrival  and  prepared  to 
escort  us  to  the  Court  House,  to  see  the  condition  in  which 
Rev.  C.  C.  Burr  had  left  it.     Tufts  of  grass  (it  had  been 


228  THE   MISSING   LINK 

raining  the  previous  night),  bricks,  broken  eggs,  sticks, 
and  tin  pans,  with  which  the  reverend  gentleman  had  been 
saluted,  were  strewn  all  over  the  Court  House.  We  ad- 
vertised through  all  the  papers  that,  immediately  after  the 
Burrs  had  lectured  and  entertained  the  public  with  their 
toe-rapping  expositions,  the  Fox  family  would  be  forth- 
coming to  give  them  every  opportunity  of  testing  the 
truth  of  the  real  Spirit  rappings.  We  were  expected,  and 
everything  was  done  to  make  our  visit  there  agreeable. 
The  Court  House  was  cleared  of  all  the  rubbish,  and  at 
precisely  eight  o'clock  Calvin,  Maggie,  my  sister  Maria's 
little  boy,  Charley  Smith,  and  myself  entered  the  Court 
House  with  crowds  of  friends,  amid  shouts  of  "  Welcome 
to  the  Fox  family"  resounding  from  every  part  of  the 
room. 

Lawyer  Tiffany  was  there  to  address  the  audience,  but 
he  was  not  able  to  make  himself  heard,  but  stood  and 
smiled  at  the  demonstration.  The  audience,  with  one 
accord,  called  out,  "  Take  the  platform  ! "  Calvin  accom- 
panied us,  leaving  little  Charley  with  a  lady  friend,  but  he 
was  frightened  and  cried,  "Take  me  too."  He  was  only 
two  and  a  half  years  old.  Judge  Bissell  carried  the  child 
in  his  arms,  and  placed  him  by  my  side.  He  looked  up 
at  me  and  said,  "  Aunt  Leah,  will  they  hurt  you  ?  "  I 
told  him,  "  Ko,  dear,  they  are  our  friends."  The  rappings 
were  distinctly  heard  all  over  the  hall  as  soon  as  quiet  was 
restored.  The  audience  would  not  be  content  until  I 
spoke  to  them.  My  words  were  few.  I  thanked  them 
for  their  kindness,  but  tears  of  gratitude  soon  choked  all 
further  utterance.     This  was  my  first  public  speech. 

At  this  point,  Mr.  Tiffany  was  allowed  to  proceed  with 
his  lecture,  which  was  very  satisfactory  to  the  audience. 

We  had  engaged  to  go  a  second  time  to  Cincinnati, 
as  there  were  many  there  who  had  not  had  an  opportu- 


IX  MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  229 

nity  of  visiting  Katy's  rooms  while  she  was  there  in  com- 
pany with  sister  Maria  and  Mrs.  Kedzie,  about  the  20th  of 
July. 

The  cholera  had  broken  out  in  the  Burnett  House,  and 
we  engaged  rooms  in  the  Walnut  Street  House,  where  we 
remained  during  our  stay  in  Cincinnati. 

"We  were  frequently  invited  to  visit  our  friends  living 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  city,  and  gladly  accepted  their  kind 
invitations,  as  it  afforded  us  rest,  change  of  scene  and 
atmosphere.  AVe  spent  several  days  delightfully  at  the 
house  of  Major  Gano  ;  and  also  made  many  visits  at  the 
house  of  Mr.  Longworth,  the  proprietor  and  owner  of  the 
great  wine  vaults  of  Cincinnati,  well  known  to  the  public, 
and  whose  son-in-law,  William  Flagg,  and  his  wife,  were 
interested  in  us.  We  submitted  to  the  examination  of 
many  committees  in  Cincinnati  (and  other  places  "which  we 
visited  in  Ohio).  We  remained  in  that  city  until  the 
latter  part  of  August.  The  weather  was  extremely  warm, 
and  we  were  all  prostrated  with  heat  and  fatigue,  and  we 
longed  to  return  to  our  home  and  friends  in  Rochester. 
About  this  time  Calvin  was  suddenly  attacked  with  hemor- 
rhage of  the  lungs.  Physicians  pronounced  his  case  hope- 
less. Mother  and  I  took  care  of  him  through  that  fearful 
night.  The  following  morning  he  said  to  us — taking  each 
one  by  the  hand — "  Dear  Mother  and  Leah,  the  only  regret 
I  feel  is  in  leaving  you,  subject  as  you  are  to  the  persecu- 
tions of  your  enemies."  Then  fixing  his  eyes  on  me  he 
said,  "You  have  been  a  dear  sister  to  me.  The  best 
legacy  I  could  leave  you,  as  a  protection  when  1  am  gone, 
is  my  name.  If  we  were  married  now,  your  widowhood 
would  be  a  great  protection  from  the  importunate  intru- 
sions to  which  you  are  so  frequently  subjected."  Mother 
wept  over  him  as  none  but  a  mother  could  weep.  She 
fully  consented,  and  left  us  to  decide  as  we  both  thought 


230  THE   MISSING   LINK 

best.  We  were  married  September  10, 1851,  on  what  was 
supposed  to  be  the  death-bed  of  our  beloved  Calvin,  and 
thus  I  became  Mrs.  Brown.  Calvin  recovered,  however, 
from  that  attack  and  lingered  in  tolerable  comfort,  until 
about  six  months  previous  to  his  death,  in  May,  1853. 

The  agitation  of  the  subject  of  Spiritualism  resulting 
from  this  our  "  Ohio  Campaign,"  of  1851,  led  to  the  first 
Spiritualist  convention  in  the  world's  history,  so  far  as  I 
know,  which  was  called  for  and  assembled  at  Cleveland  in 
February,  1852,  respecting  which  I  find  the  following  letter 
from  David  A.  Eddy,  bearing  date  of  the  28th  of  that 
month : 

"  I  enclose  to  you  to-day  a  Cleveland  Herald  containing 
a  report  of  our  convention,  the  first  of  the  kind  ever 
known,  and  whic  hmay  with  propriety  be  called  '  Spiritual 
Convention  jSTo.  One.'  It  has  had  some  effect  in  bringing 
the  subject  before  the  people,  and  calling  out  investigation. 
It  has  thrown  the  church  into  spasms.  Everything  in 
Ohio  is  going  on  as  well  as  we  could  wish." 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  231 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

MISCELLANEOUS    LETTERS    CONNECTED    WITH    THE 
OHIO  CAMPAIGN. 

N.  S.  Wheeler — E.  S.  Brownfield — Chillicothe  Committee — 
Charles  F.  Whippo— M.  L.  Wright — D.  A  Eddy — Extracts 
from  the  Press—"  A  Fair  Challenge  from  Mrs.  Fish  "  and 
Sequel— Columbus  Committee — D.  A.  Eddy — M.  L.  Wright- 
Interesting  Letter  from  Dear  Amy  Post — Article  from 
the  Cleveland  Plaindealer. 

N.  S.  WHEELER. 

"  Painesville,  O.,  May  7,  1851. 
"  Mrs.  Fish  : 

"  Dear  Madam — Great  excitement  prevails  in  onr  quiet 
little  village  at  this  time.  Miss  May  Cronk  has  become 
quite  a  satisfactory  medium.  Her  development  is  extraor- 
dinary. We  think  perhaps  if  you  could  spend  about  two 
weeks  or  ten  days  with  us,  your  presence  would  afford  us 
a  fair  opportunity  to  test  the  matter  to  our  heart's  content. 
I  see  by  the  babble  of  the  Cleveland  papers  that  you  are 
expected  in  that  city  soon  ;  some  say  that  you  are  now  there. 
Burr  is  drivelling  out  his  dolorous  tale  to  large  audiences  in 
Cleveland  ;  but  whether  his  cracking  joints  will  endure  the 
torture  much  longer,  has  not  yet  been  revealed.  I  hope 
for  your  own  happiness,  as  well  as  for  the  successful  tri- 
umph that  awaits  you,  you  may  preserve  your  equanimity 
and  successfully  resist  all  distracting  influences. 

"  We  are  all  anxious  to  see  you  here.     Come. 
"  Truly  yours, 

"N.  S.  "Wheeler." 


232  THE   MISSING   LINK 

Newark,  O.,  May  19,  1851. 
"  Mrs.  Fish  : 

"  Although  a  stranger  to  you,  I  take  the  liberty  of  ad- 
dressing you  on  the  subject  of  Spirit  manifestations  ;  also 
to  give  you  a  pressing  invitation  to  visit  our  town  in  behalf 
of  a  number  of  our  citizens,  as  well  as  myself,  who  are  as 
firm  as  the  rock  of  Gibraltar  in  the  faith  ;  although  a  great 
many  of  us  have  not  had  the  opportunity  of  witnessing  the 
phenomena ;  aud  the  probability  is  that  many  of  us  will 
not  have  the  privilege  of  doing  so  unless  some  of  our 
friends,  who  are  more  favored  than  we  are,  will  visit  our 
tuwn  and  tarry  with  us  a  while. 

"  You  could  not  but  be  pleased,  as  Newark  is  one  of 

the  most  beautiful  towns  in  the  interior  of  the  State ;  and 

you  will  find  the  people  very  pleasant  and  intelligent,  if 

you  can  visit  us.     Please  answer  as  soon  as  you  receive 

this. 

"  Yours  with  respect, 

"  E.  S.  Brownfield. 

"  P.  S.  I  am  here  authorized  to  use  the  names  of  our 
friends,  some  of  whom  you  will  doubtless  recollect ;  also 
others,  for  wdiose  character  and  respectability  I  have  but 
to  refer  you  to  Dr.  Bigelow,  of  Cleveland,  who  is  well  ac- 
quainted with  all,  viz.,  Mrs.  Boss,  Mrs.  Baker,  Wm.  Boss, 
Thos.  Holmes,  Dr.  Blair,  John  J.  Mooney,  Wm.  Lyon, 
Wm.  Cunningham,  and  Lewis  Evans,  who  all  join  in  press- 
ing the  invitation. — E.  8.  B. 


CHILLICOTHE    COMMITTEE. 

"Ciiillicotiie,  0.,  May  23,  1851. 
"  Dear  Madam  .■ 

"  You  will  notice  b}'  the  enclosed  proceedings,  that  the 

duty  has  devolved  on  us,  in  behalf  of  the  citizens  of  this 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  233 

place  and  vicinity,  friendly  to  the  investigation  of  the  so- 
callud  "  Spiritual  mappings  "  and  "  manifestations,"  to  ex- 
tend to  yuu  an  invitation  that  we  may  be  honored  with 
your  company  and  have  the  benefit  of  }*our  experience  in 
the  investigation  of  that  which  is  to  us  a  subject  of  the 
highest  interest,  and  which  we  consider  deserving  the  most 
patient  and  devoted  attention. 

"  In  addition  to  the  performance  of  our  official  duty  as  a 
committee,  we  request  you  to  accept  from  us,  individually, 
our  warmest  and  most  heartfelt  congratulations,  for  the 
dignity  you  have  preserved,  and  the  Christian  forbearance 
and  charity  you  have  manifested  toward  your  opponents, 
amid  the  many  trying  scenes  you  have  encountered  during 
the  last  two  years,  while  lending  your  aid  to  the  investi- 
gation of  truths  of  a  new  and  startling  character. 

"  AVe  are  the  more  desirous  that  you  should  honor  us 
with  a  visit,  from  having  instituted  some  experiments  our- 
selves, with  partial  success,  the  particulars  of  which  have 
been  published  from  time  to  time,  to  encourage  the  friends 
of  the  science  to  pursue  the  investigation  for  themselves. 
Circumstances,  however,  have  not  yet  been  sufficiently 
favorable  to  its  development  to  enable  us  to  gratify  the 
public  interest  which  it  has  naturally  excited ;  and  conse- 
quently a  visit  from  yourself  at  this  particular  juncture 
would  be  particularly  gratifying.  We  should  be  pleased 
also  to  learn  what  mode  of  compensation  would  be  the 
most  agreeable  to  you  as  a  remuneration  for  your  services. 
Hoping  to  obtain  from  you  a  favorable  reply,  and  a  visit 
at  some  early  day  most  convenient  to  yourself,  accept, 
madam,  our  assurances  of  esteem  and  friendship. 

"Johnson  Lofland, 
Jonathan  Mdesbe, 
II.  M.  Pixto, 

"  To  Mus.  Fish,  of  Rochester,  Cleveland,  Ohio.  t  'omm  iff*  >  ." 


234  THE  MISSING   LINK 

"A  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Chillicothe  and  vicinity, 
friendly  to  the  investigation  of  the  phenomena  known  as 
'Spirit  rappings,'  'Spiritual  manifestations,'  etc,  which 
have  claimed  a  considerable  share  of  public  attention  in 
the  United  States  during  the  last  two  years,  was  held  in 
the  city  of  Chillicothe  on  May  23,  1851,  at  which  Clement 
Pine  was  appointed  chairman,  and  George  Armstrong 
secretary. 

"  On  motion  it  was  resolved,  That  a  committee  of  three 
be  appointed  to  forward  an  invitation  to  Mrs.  Fish,  of 
Rochester,  who,  it  is  understood,  is  now  in  Cleveland, 
to  visit  our  city,  that  the  citizens  may  have  the  benefit  of 
her  presence  and  experience  in  witnessing  the  so-called 
'  Spiritual  manifestations'.'  Johnson  Lofland,  II.  M.  Pinto, 
and  Jonathan  Miesse,  M.D.,  were  appointed  by  the  chair 
said  committee. 

"  Resolved,  that  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  committee, 
on  receiving  an  answer  from  Mrs.  Fish,  to  call  another 
meeting,  and  make  known  her  intentions  in  regard  to  the 
acceptance  or  non-acceptance  of  such  invitation,  and  in 
case  we  should  be  favored  with  a  visit  from  Mrs.  Fish,  to 
propose  such  measures  for  her  reception  as  may  be  deemed 
necessary. 

"  Resolved,  that  a  copy  of  the  proceedings  of  this  meet- 
ing be  made  by  the  secretary,  and  transmitted  immediately, 
together  with  a  letter  of  invitation,  to  Mrs.  Fish,  by  said 

committee. 

"  Clement  Pine,  Chairman, 
George  Armstrong,  Secretary" 


The  foregoing  letter  was  sent  to  Massillonfor  other  sig- 
natures of  parties  there  alike  interested. 

"  Massillon,  O.,  June  23,  1851. 
"  We  earnestly  hope  that  you  will  accept  of  this  invite- 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  235 

tion,  and  thereby  give  a  few  earnest  inquirers  after  truth 
an  opportunity  to  satisfy  their  minds  upon  a  very  impor- 
tant subject. 

"C.  D.  Smith,  J.  W.  Uxderhill, 

D.  M.  Bradshaw,       F.  Keith, 
S.  Hunt,  J.  R.  Cecil, 

R.  Partridge,  G.  W.  Williams, 

C.  II.  Russell,  S.  Haund, 

S.  Rawson." 


CHARLES    F.    WHIPPO. 
"New  Castle,  Lawrence  Co.,  Pa.,  June  9,  1851. 

"  Mrs.  Fish  :  My  object  in  writing  this  is  to  invite  you, 
in  behalf  of  myself  and  many  intelligent  friends  here,  to 
stop,  on  your  way  to  Pittsburg,  and  spend  a  few  days  with 
us. 

"  I  have  heard  of  your  trials  and  troubles  at  Buffalo 
and  at  Cleveland,  and  you  have  had  my  sympathy  through 
all.  I  hope  and  trust  you  will  be  able  to  stand  up  under 
these  persecutions,  steadfastly  and  firmly. 

"  Remember  that  truth  is  mighty  and  will  ultimately 
prevail.  The  Rev.  Rascal  C.  C.  Burr  is  on  the  wane,  and 
he  will  learn,  before  all  is  over,  that  '  honesty  is  the  best 

policy.' 

"  Very  respectfully  and  truly  yours, 

"  Charles  F.  Whippo." 


M.  L.  WEIGHT. 

"Cleveland,  August  23,  1851. 
':  Mrs.  Fish  :  My  dear  friend,  1  promised  to  answer  the 
article  by  Green,   through  which  you  were  called   on  to 
enter  the  arena  with  Mr.  Clark,  for  examination,  etc.     I 


236  THE   MISSING   LINK 

did  so ;  bat  the  Clark  family  came  out  boldly,  and  offered 
to  make  oath  that  they  knew  nothing  of  the  source  of  the 
( manifestations;'  that  the  article  by  Green  was  without 
their  knowledge  and  very  much  against  their  wishes.  We 
all  thought  best  to  suppress  it  for  the  present.  You  can 
hardly  imagine  how  much  pleasure  and  happiness  we  have 
realized  when  in  your  presence.  That  scene  in  the  ceme- 
tery can  never  die  out  from  my  memory.  How  can  we 
ever  forget  those  sweet  messages  from  our  dear  ones, 
whose  affection  for  us  has  outlived  their  mortality? 

u  Oh,  come  with  us  again  and  permit  us  to  listen  to 
those  good  old  raps  that  first  shook  our  scepticism  and 
brought  us  to  a  realization  of  the  truth.  That  message  in 
the  grave-yard,  saying,  '  My  dear  son,  weep  no  more,  the 
fault  was  mine.  No  longer  bow  your  head  in  vain  regret 
and  grief.  I  bless  you,  be  happy.'  Then  the  messages 
from  our  dear  children,  bidding  us  to  rejoice  and  weep  no 
more,  '  We  are  all  happy  in  heaven  ; '  and  then,  in  answer 
to  my  mental  questions  they  spelled,  '  We  accompanied 
you  here — this  is  not  our  abiding  place — we  will  return 
with  you  and  watch  over  you  through  the  night,  and  com- 
municate with  you  at  home.'  The  promises  have  all  been 
fulfilled.  We  have  the  manifestations  at  our  own  house. 
and  the  Spirit  of  our  father  is  our  guardian-angel  now. 
My  wife  holds  daily  converse  with  him,  and  he  tells  us 
he  '  is  happy.  All  is  well.'  This  is  not  belief,  it  is  knowl- 
edge. Your  friends  in  Cleveland  are  all  armed  and 
equipped,  ready  to  defend  you  now  and  forever.  It  is 
midnight ;  my  dear  wife  and  children  are  sleeping  quietly, 
and  those  of  the  higher  spheres  are  watching  over  them. 
The  midnight  winds  whistle  fearfully  around  our  dwelling, 
and  as  I  write  old  Lake  Erie  lashes  her  shores  with  a  fury 
perfectly  territic.  May  the  good  Spirits  of  the  wave  watch 
over  the  mariner  to-night  and  pilot  him  safely  into  harbor. 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  237 

Our  friend  Gray  has  returned  and  wishes  me  to  remember 
him  to  you.  Mr.  Tiffany  has  also  returned.  You  must 
excuse  him  for  not  calling  on  you,  as  his  child  was  very  ill, 
and  passed  away  to  its  Spirit  home  last  Wednesday.  He 
feels  deeply  interested  in  your  welfare,  and  has  attended 
to  all  the  preliminaries  in  the  slander  case,  so  that  you 
need  give  yourself  no  uneasiness  in  the  matter.  Judge 
Bissell  complains  of  your  not  writing.  Be  sure  and  write 
to  him  immediately.  He  is  your  true  friend  and  will  see 
that  justice  is  done  in  your  case.  Judge  Paine  also,  do 
not  forget  to  write  to  hiin. 

"  Now,  Leah,  your  true  friends  (I  need  not  name  them) 
are  expecting  you  will  locate  here  some  day,  not  far  dis- 
tant. We  expect  to  see  you  in  Rochester  soon.  My  lave 
to  your  mother,  sisters,  and  Calvin,  with  a  great  share  for 
yourself,  and  believe  me 

"  Truly  yours  ever, 

"M.  L.  Weight." 


D.  A.  EDDY. 

"  Cleveland,  O.,  October  28,  1851. 
"  Mrs.  Fish  : 

"  My  Dear  Friend — Your  letter  dated  at  Rochester,  after 
you  had  partially  recovered  from  your  severe  illness,  was 
duly  received,  and  I  answered  at  length  ;  but  while  waiting 
to  get  hold  of  the  precious  bluff  missive  that  appeared  in  The 
True  Democrat,  to  enclose  to  you,  some  time  elapsed,  and 
when  I  finally  got  it,  I  found  you  were  sojourning  in  Troy, 
N.  Y.  So  the  letter  was  old,  and  I  did  not  send  it.  I  cannot 
find  words  to  express  how  glad  I  am  to  hear  that  you  have 
recovered  and  are  able  to  visit  a  place  where  I  know  you 
will  have  so  many  true  friends  ;  but  we  will  not  own  t<  i  an  v 
city  that  can  produce  more  sincere  friends  than  Cleveland. 


238  THE   MISSING   LINK 

"  I  suppose  that  Mrs.  Eddy  has  informed  you  of  Mr. 
Crittenden's  intention  of  making  you  a  visit  soon.  Is  it 
not  possible  for  you  to  come  here  again  before  close  of 
navigation  ?  If  not,  you  may  look  for  me  there  the  first 
of  January,  or  about  that  time.  We  want  you  to  come  to 
Cleveland.  We  will  select  a  house  here  where  you  will 
be  happy  and  comfortable.  We  pity  those  poor  wretches 
who  are  ready  to  persecute  those  who  are  too  good  to 
breathe  the  air  of  the  same  neighborhood  where  they  re- 
side. Bnt  never  mind,  you  know  and  we  know  there  is 
truth  in  these  new  revelations,  and  the  good  work  is  destined 
to  lead  men  from  darkness  and  doubt,  into  the  blessed 
light  of  truth  and  a  hope  which  I  despaired  of  ever  ob- 
taining. 

"Your  correspondence  must  necessarily  be  very  large 
and  quite  a  task.  The  cause  is  gaining  here  daily,  but  we 
want  you  here  again.     Adieu  for  the  present. 

"  Sincerely  yours, 

"  D.  A.  Eddy. 

"  P.  S.  We  have  all  signed  the  bail  bonds  for  costs  in 
your  suit  with  C.  Chauncy  Burr.  I  presume  Dr.  Wright 
has  advised  you  ere  this.  Burr  is  much  troubled,  but  do 
not  let  anyone  influence  you  to  settle,  on  any  conditions. 

"  D.  A.  E." 


EXTKACTS    FROM   THE   PRESS. 

"  We  learn  by  a  telegraphic  despatch  from  Cleveland, 
that  Mrs.  Fish,  the  celebrated  '  medium,'  will  be  here  in 
a  few  days,  when  she  will  give  our  citizens  an  opportunity 
to  hear  the  '  rappings '  to  their  entire  satisfaction.  It  is 
a  singular  fact,  that  notwithstanding  the  slanders  heaped 
upon  this  lady  by  those  accomplished  mountebanks,  the 
Burrs,  she  follows  them  up  with  a  sharp  stick,  and  meets 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  239 

them  face  to  face.     It  is  not  very  manly  or  very  dignified 
to  slander  a  lady  when  she  is  not  present. 

"The  Burrs  are  still  giving  their  exhibitions  of  toc- 
ology to  very  small  audiences  in  this  city.  Those  who 
have  heretofore  believed  that  the  rappings  were  all  hum- 
bug, are  now  entirely  convinced  that  they  are  not  half  so 
great  a  humbug  as  these  itinerant,  catch-penny  lecturers." 
— Pittsburg  Post. 

"A  Literary  Man  in  '  Trouble.'' — The  Rev.  C.  Chauncy 
Burr,  the  man  who  makes  'literature  his  profession,' 
has  been  prosecuted  in  Cleveland,  O.,  for  slander,  by  Mrs. 
Fish  (of  the  Fox  family),  who  has  laid  her  damages  at 
sl<»,000.  He  will  now  have  the  opportunity  to  prove  his 
charge,  which  he  always  contended  could  be  easily  proved. 
It  will  be  an  exciting  suit," — Providence  Mirror. 

"  The  Burr  Burst. — The  Burrs  have  lowered  their 
colors,  taken  down  all  sail,  and  left  Pittsburg,  under  a 
good,  stiff,  spanking  breeze.  Mr.  Courtney,  O.  S.  Fowler 
(the  phrenologist),  Miss  Sarah  W.  Taylor,  S.  Parker,  J. 
P.  Glass,  Milo  A.  Townsend,  Eev.  Mr.  Williams,  Dr. 
Ewing,  and  several  of  the  most  respectable  citizens  of 
Pittsburg  (so  says  The  Post)  are  after  them  with  three 
columns  of  cards  and  sharp  sticks,  published  in  the  Pitts- 
burg papers.  '  What  a  terrible  thing  it  is  to  be  a  terrible 
(.Titter,'  as  Mrs.  Partington  would  say." — Cincinnati  N~on- 
parezl. 

"  Mrs.  Fish  and  her  sister  have  returned  from  a  short 
excursion  into  the  country,  and  will  be  found  at 'The 
Dunham,'  for  a  few  days  more.  They  have  invitations 
from  almost  every  city  in  the  Onion  to  visit  them,  but 
they  are  very  contented  in  the  Forest  City." — Cleveland 
Ik  raid. 


240  THE   BOSSING   LINK 

k'  The  Spirits. — Miss  Catharine  Fox,  the  spirit  medium, 
accompanied  by  a  married  sister  and  a  female  friend,  will 
remain  a  few  days  at  the  Walnut  Street  House,  where 
they  will  be  pleased  to  meet  those  wdio  feel  interested  in 
these  manifestations,  and  who  desire  to  investigate  the 
subject  with  candor.  We  were  present  last  night,  with  a 
number  of  friends,  at  an  interview  with  the  ladies,  when 
some  of  the  manifestations  were  produced  by  the  customary 
rappings,  which,  to  say  the  least,  did  not  appear  to  be  pro- 
duced by  any  physical  effort  of  the  medium.  Miss  Catha- 
rine is  a  very  interesting  girl,  and  looks  very  far  from  being- 
capable  of  carrying  out  any  humbug  whatever.  We  can. 
do  no  less  than  request  our  readers  to  examine  for  them- 
selves."—  Cincinnati  Nonpareil. 

"  Personal. — Miss  Catharine  Fox,  one  of  the  original 
mediums  of  the  Rochester  rappings,  has  arrived  in  Cincin- 
nati, and  is  stopping  at  the  Walnut  Street  House.  The 
public  will  have  an  opportunity  for  a  few  days  to  judge 
for  themselves  in  regard  to  things  which  have  'turned  the 
world  upside  down.'  As  she  professes  to  'call  Spirits 
from  the  vasty  deep,'  and  Mr.  Burr  is  here  to  knock  them 
in  the  head  as  fast  as  they  come,  exciting  times  may  be 
expected." —  Cincinnati  Nonpareil. 

"Editor  of  the  Plaindealee: 

"  Sir — Cannot  Mrs.  Fish  and  the  Misses  Fox  be  prevailed 
on  to  make  us  a  visit  ?  The  fact  is,  Gray,  we  Michiganders 
are  wofully  benighted  upon  Spiritual  subjects.  Every- 
thing pertaining  to  '  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil ' 
we  understand  perfectly  ;  but  when  it  comes  to  getting 
communications  from  the  other  world  direct,  and  seeing 
with  our  eyes,  Ave  '  knock  under.'  Our  press,  too,  is  any- 
thing  but  free  upon  these  subjects,  giving  only  one  side, 
and   concluding  with   the  small   bill  of  The  Herald,  that 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  241 

there  are  no  more  things  in  Heaven  and  earth  than  are 
dreamed  of  in  their  philosophy." — Detroit  Correspondent. 

FROM   THE   CINCINNATI   NONPAREIL. 

"A  Fair  Challenge  hy  Mrs.  Fish. — It  appears  that 
the  most  sceptical  in  Cincinnati,  even  the  editor  of 
The  Daily  Times,  have  to  concede  that  toe  and  knee 
joints  have  nothing  to  do  with  Spirit  rappings.  It  has  be- 
come a  settled  fact  that  Burr's  and  the  Buffalo  doctors' 
theories  are  the  silliest  humbug  theories  of  the  day.  But 
the  editor  of  The  Times,  in  a  spirit  of  malicious  infidelity, 
accuses  Mrs.  Fish  and  her  young  sisters,  Margaretta  and 
Cathy,  with  having  concealed  about  their  persons  some 
sort  of  intelligent  machinery,  which  makes  the  raps  and 
answers  questions,  whether  mentally  or  orally  put.  The 
editor  deserves  a  leather  medal  for  so  sage  a  conclusion, 
and  should  have  one,  had  not  the  great  demand  for  them 
among  Burr's  followers  and  the  Buffalo  boobies  exhausted 
the  stock  of  those  ornaments  and  cleaned  the  market  of 
supply. 

"  To  silence  this  pretension,  Mrs.  Fish  published  the 
following  challenge  in  the  Cincinnati  papers : 

"  '  A   CARD   TO   THE    PUBLIC. 

'"With  my  sisters,  Margaretta  and  Cathy  Fox,  I  will 
remain  at  the  Walnut  Street  House  a  few  days,  where  we 
shall  be  happy  to  wait  upon  all  those  who  wish  to  satisfy 
themselves  as  to  the  truth  or  falsity  of  Spirit  rappings. 
The  editor  of  The  Times  generously  acquits  us  of  all  joint 
snapping,  and  I  think  we  can  very  easily  dispose  of  his  ex- 
planation. If  there  be  even  a  shadow  of  suspicion  still 
lurking  in  any  mind  that  the  sounds  are  made  by  mechan- 
ical contrivances  of  any  character,  we  are  willing  at  any 
moment  to  meet  a  committee  of  ladies,  to  whom  we  will 


•_>10  THE  MISSING   LINK 

give  all  fair  opportunity  of  satisfaction.  AVe  only  ask  that 
the  committee  shall  consist  of  ladies  whose  testimony  will 
have  weight  with  the  public.  „ t  Am(  L  F(  ()  . 

"  This  same  question  was  raised  in  New  York  when  the 
mediums  were  there,  and  by  a  coterie  of  ladies  and  gentle- 
men of  the  very  first  families.  One  of  the  wealthiest 
merchants  went  so  far  as  to  pledge  a  large  sum  of  money, 
that  '  take  the  mediums  unawares  '  (i.e.,  not  dressed  for  the 
occasion),  '  and  they  could  not  induce  the  raps.'  Others, 
equally  uncharitable  and  unbelieving,  coincided  with  him, 
and  they  demanded  a  committee  of  investigation  forthwith. 
They  took  the  mediums  into  a  room,  bolted  the  door,  and 
erected  a  platform  of  tables,  on  which  they  were  compelled 
to  stand.  Here,  piece  by  piece,  they  were  disrobed  by  the 
committee,  and  every  article  of  wearing  apparel  examined 
and  laid  aside.  Not  a  rap  had  been  heard  during  the 
whole  time,  and  the  girls,  to  use  their  own  language, 
'feared  the  Spirits,  as  well  as  their  friends  on  earth,  had 
deserted  them.''  After  everything  was  completed  and 
order  restored  in  the  room,  Mrs.  Fish,  in  a  trembling  but 
determined  voice  said,  '  Spirits,  if  ever  you  manifest  your- 
selves to  us  again,  do  it  now  ! ' 

"  The  raps  came,  instanter,  like  hail-stones,  on  every 
part  of  the  stage.  The  mediums  were  overcome  with  joy, 
and  every  eye  in  the  room  glistened  with  tears  of  sym- 
pathy for  the  sisters.  There  was,  without,  a  large  number 
of  gentlemen  and  others  waiting  to  hear  the  report  of  the 
committee ;  and  when  these  facts  were  made  known  to 
them  by  their  wives  and  others  on  the  committee,  and  in 
tears,  too,  they  with  one  accord  repented  of  their  unbelief 
and  cruelty.  These  facts  were  published  by  the  said  com- 
mittee in  the  New  York  papers,  and  created  a  profound 
sensation.     But  it  seems  the  Cincinnati  editor  has  forgot- 


IN  MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  243 

ten  this  and  a  thousand  other  degrading  tests,  instituted 
by  a  wilful  ignorance,  which  these  ladies  have  since  sub- 
mitted to  rather  than  lose  what  is  of  infinite  value  to  them, 
their  own  good  name. 

"  Will  this  valiant  man  dare  accept  this  challenge  from 
a  woman,  and  his  wife  be  one  of  the  committee  to  report 
to  him  that  '  he  is  a  fool '  ?     We  shall  see." 

Committees  of  citizens,  from  various  places  in  Ohio, 
were  constantly  coming  to  us ;  and  every  day  brought  re- 
quests to  visit  them.  But  we  coidd  only  attend  to  a  few 
of  the  larger  places. 

To  show  how  widely  Spiritualism  has  spread,  and  how 
anxious  people  were  to  have  the  proof  of  it,  I  give  a  few 
of  the  many  letters  of  this  kind  we  have  preserved. 

COLUMBUS  COMMITTEE. 

"  Columbus,  O.,  May  22,  1851. 
"  Mrs.  Ann  L.  Fish  : 

"Madam — The  undersigned,  residents  of  this  city,  in 
common  with  many  others  of  their  fellow-citizens,  feeling 
a  deep  and  abiding  interest  in  the  great  subject  of  Spiritual 
and  immortal  existence,  anxiously  desire  to  witness,  and 
investigate  for   themselves,  the  Spiritual  manifestations 
said  to  have  been  recently  made  in  various  parts  of  the 
country,   and  especially  the  phenomena   connected   with 
yourself  and  your  two  sisters,  respectfully  and  cordially 
invite  you,  if  consistent  with  your  other  duties  and  engage- 
ments, to  visit  our  city  at  your  earliest  convenience. 
"Leonard  Humphrey,  F.  Gale, 
William  Burdell,      Philip  Heed, 
J.  H.  Wade,  John  Fowler, 

N.  Upton,  John   J.  Janney, 

J.  H.  Coulter,  Jesse  Morris, 

T.  S.  Buttolpii." 


244  THE   MISSING   LINK 


"Cleveland,  O.,  August  27,  1851. 
"  Dear  Mrs.  Fish  : 

"  I  snatch  a  moment  in  the  hurry  to  say  we  are  all  well, 
including  the  baby.  She  lias  got  over  her  cough  entirely, 
and  is  more  interesting,  if  possible,  than  ever. 

"  Spiritual  manifestations  are  gaining  rapidly. 

"  I  was  in  Buffalo  last  week  :  saw  Messrs.  C.  C.  Bristol, 
Dudley,  Albro,  and  Hayes.  They  are  all  writing  medi- 
ums, and  the  things  they  write  are  truly  astonishing. 
Their  hands  are  moved  without  any  effort,  and  the  evidence 
of  its  being  the  work  of  Spirits  is  beyond  the  least  flicker- 
ing of  doubt.  They  all  inquired  (very  interestedly)  after 
you,- regretting  they  could  not  have  seen  you  on  your  re- 
turn. Will  you  be  likely  to  come  this  way  again  this  fall  ? 
\Ve  sincerely  hope  you  will  find  it  possible  to  do  so.  Do 
drop  us  a  line.  How  have  3'ou  found  things  on  arrival  at 
home  ?  Mrs.  E.  joins  me  in  love  to  you.  We  remain 
truly  vour  friends. 

"  D.  A.  Eddy." 

M.  L.  WRIGHT. 

"Cleveland,  September  8,  1851. 
"  My  Dear  Friend  : 

"  "We  received  yours  of  the  11th,  and  were  .thankful  for 

it.     You  doubtless  know  what  is  going  on  here,  as  Mr. 

Gray   tells   me   he  sends  you  the   Plaindealer.     Spirits 

told  us  the  truth  about  the  Clark  family,  etc.     You  will 

see  my  article  signed  'A  Friend  of  Truth,'  which   heads 

him  off  entirely  and  puts  a   stop   to   any  further  designs 

against  Spiritual  matters.     I  have  another  article  ready ; 

if  necessary,  I  shall  publish  it.     Burr  is  in  hot  water;  one 

of  his  attorneys  called  on  me  a  few  days  since,  and  tried 

to  settle  the  matter  and  get  it  out  of  court,  but  your  friends 

here  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  all  his  propositions.     He  called  on 

me  again  yesterday,  and  asked  me  on  what  conditions  I 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  245 

thought  you  would  settle  with  him.  (He  not  knowing 
that  you  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  prosecution.)  I  told 
him  it  could  not  be  accomplished  short  of  his  acknowledg- 
ing in  every  paper  of  the  Union  that  he  was  a  liar,  a 
blackguard  and  a  villain,  paying  the  costs  of  the  court,  and 
giving  you  money  enough  to  purchase  a  place  in  this  city ; 
and  I  did  not  know  as  that  M'ould  do  it.  He  is  badly 
frightened.  Everything  has  been  properly  attended  to, 
and  we  have  no  fears  of  the  result.  Bail  has  been  given 
for  costs  and  everything  is  right. 

k"  Now,  my  dear  friend,  do  not  allow  anyone  to  influence 
you  to  discontinue  this  suit.  Burr  deserves  to  be  punished 
to  the  fullest  extent  of  the  law,  and  for  your  own  sake,  for 
the  sake  of  your  friends,  and  for  the  sake  of  the  cause  in 
which  we  are  engaged,  permit  it  to  go  through. 

"  Your  visit  here,  though  not  a  golden  one,  will,  I  doubt 
not,  be  the  most  important  event  in  your  whole  life.  The 
trial  will  not  come  off  in  the  October  term,  but  will  quite 
likely  the  next.  AVe  must  all  'keep  cool.'  Now,  Leah, 
make  up  your  mind  to  settle  in  Cleveland,  where  you  have 
so  many  good  friends,  whom  you  know  you  can  trust.  We 
intend  to  visit  you  before  navigation  closes,  if  possible. 

"  Remember  me  to  Calvin,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith,  your 
mother,  Maggie  and  Katie,  dear  little  Charlie,  and  may 
good  Spirits  aid  you  in  every  emergency,  direct  you  aright 
in  all  things,  so  that  when  called  to  exchange  worlds,  your 
earth  life  shall  close  like  flowers  at  setting  sun.  So  may 
we  all  live  and  die.     My  wife  unites  in  love  to  you. 

"  Ever  yours  truly, 

"M.'L.  Weight." 

IXTERESTI.no    LETTER    FS0M    MRS.   AMY    POST. 

The  letter  written  by  a  venerable  Quaker  lady,  who  has 
for  years   been   a  neighbor  and  intimate  friend  of  Mrs. 


246  THE   MISSING   LINK 


Fish  and  the  Fox  family,  speaks  a  language  so  plain  that 
we  have  requested  the  privilege  of  publishing  it,  though 
not  so  intended  by  the  author. — Cleveland  Plamdealer. 

"  Rociiester,  June,  1851. 

"My  Dear  Friend,  A.  Leah  Fish: 

"  I  have  often  thought  of  thee  and  thy  company  since 
you  left  your  beautiful  home  for  an  Ohio  city,  and  have 
been  much  delighted  to  hear  you  have  found  friends  who 
can  appreciate  the  value  and  importance  of  this  wonderful 
development  to  mankind.  When  I  think  of  the  very 
happy  change  it  has  made  in  my  views  and  feelings,  re- 
garding the  present  as  well  as  the  future  life,  I  feel 
anxious  that  all  the  world  should  become  acquainted  with 
it.  It  is  a  wealth  I  had  despaired  of  ever  obtaining — to 
be  convinced  that  we  have  commenced  to  live  a  life  which 
will  never  end — a  life  whose  joys,  too,  are  enhanced  by 
our  practices  of  goodness.  I  have  always  admired  the 
doctrine  and  wished  to  believe  it,  viz.,  '  Inasmuch  as  ye 
have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye 
have,"  etc. ;  and  also,  'In  my  father's  house  there  are  many 
mansions ; '  but  the  belief  I  had  on  this  point  was  always 
accompanied  with  a  desire  for  more  positive  proof  of.  im- 
mortality. For  some  time  before  your  family  made  me 
acquainted  with  this  blessed  Spirit-rapping  dispensation,  I 
had  become  more  settled  in  the  belief,  and  unreasonable 
but  popular  doctrine  of  there  being  no  half-way  house ; 
but  we  must  either  go  to  Heaven  or  to  Hell.  But  what  am 
I  writing  this  to  thee  for?  Thee  knows  how  happy  I  have 
been  made,  and  how  thankful  I  have  been  that  you  all  have 
been  willing  to  bear  persecutions  and  revilings,  self-denial 
and  provocations,  for  the  sake  of  the  Truth,  and  clearing 
yourselves  from  the  imputations  of  deception.  Oh  !  could 
strangers  only  know  as  I  have  known  the  trials  you  have 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  247 

endured  and  the  sacrifices  you  made  the  first  two  years, 
they  could  not  be  made  to  believe  it  an  invention  of  your 
own,  nor  pursued  for  mercenary  purposes.  Thy  mother 
has  been  so  troubled  and  unhappy  away  from  you  all 
that  I  could  not  feel  surprised  at  her  accepting  thy  very 
kind  invitation  to  come  to  you.  The  feelings  of  a  mother 
are  tenderly  alive  to  the  interests  of  her  children.  I  know 
truly,  therefore,  I  was  very  glad,  for  your  as  well  as  her 
sake,  to  have  your  own  mother  with  you,  as  you  have  never 
before  been  without  her  guardian  protection. 

"  Please  give  my  loving  regards  to  Margaretta  and  Cal- 
vin, and  do  all  the  good  you  can.  Believe  me  to  be  thy  sin- 
cere and  affectionate  friend, 

"  Amy  Post." 

doings  at  the  dunham — the  philosophy  of  spiritualism 
as  rapped  out  by  dr.  bexjamix  fraxkllx. 

{From  the  Cleveland  Plainclealer.) 

"  So  engrossed  are  we  in  worldly  affairs,  that  we  have 
but  little  time  to  investigate  Spiritual  matters,  although 
opportunities  present  themselves  twice  a  day  at  the  Dun- 
ham House.  There  are,  however,  a  few  gentlemen  of 
leisure  who  are  taking  up  this  subject  systematically,  and 
looking  into  its  mysteries  earnestly.  Some  dozen  of  the 
most  intellectual  minds  in  the  city  have  formed  a  league 
to  jointly,  candidly,  and  honestly  investigate  this  phenom- 
enon, have  already  had  two  sittings,  and  report  '  progress.' 
We  have  been  kindly  invited  by  this  circle  to  attend  when- 
ever our  convenience  would  admit,  knowing  that  we  had 
the  moral  courage  to  publish  what  we  saw  and  heard, 
without  stopping  to  inquire  whether  anything  similar  had 
been  published  fifty  years  before,  or  without  consulting 
the  masculine  grannies  of  the  day,  whether  it  met  their 


"2  IS  THE   MISSING  LINK 

approval  it  not.  By  snch  invitation  we  attended  a  little 
while  last  evening,  and  found  the  company  had  progressed 
so  far  as  to  discard  all  tests  of  the  medium,  of.  the  Spiritu- 
ality of  the  communications,  and  were  actually  (as  they 
believed)  taking  lessons  in  philosophy  from  the  ancient 
masters.  After  sitting  a  while,  and  hearing  a  great  variety 
of  rapping  sounds,  there  was  a  loud  knocker  appeared 
which  was  simultaneously  recognized,  by  several  who  had 
heard  it  before,  as  the  signal  of  Benjamin  Franklin,  lie 
Mas  a  long  time  questioned  concerning  Spiritual  matters, 
sometimes  answering  by  raps,  and  sometimes  using  the 
alphabet.  It  was  in  substance  as  follows  : 
*  "  Spirit  is  the  great  positive  of  all  existence,  and  matter 
the  great  negative.  There  is  an  elemental  difference  be- 
tween Matter  and  Spirit.  Electricity  .and  magnetism  are 
always  connected  with  matter,  and  belong  to  it.  The  di- 
viding link  between  matter  and  mind  is  between  magnet- 
ism and  vitality. 

"  There  are  different  degrees  of  refinement  in  the  elec- 
trical and  magnetic  media.  Chemical  affinities  are  electri- 
cal and  magnetic.  Cohesion  and  gravitation  also  depend 
on  similar  principles. 

"  The  time  has  not  yet  come  when  the  true  philosophy 
may  be  explained,  but  will  soon.  Investigation  and  ex- 
perience will  hasten  it  on. 

"  Repulsion  in  nature  is  caused  by  stronger  attraction. 
The  ascension  of  a  balloon  from  the  earth  is  a  fair  illustra- 
tion of  the  principle  of  repulsion.  Everything  in  the  uni- 
verse takes  its  appropriate  place  by  virtue  of  its  elemental 
affinities,  and  can  occupy  no  other  place,  without  changing 
the  relations  of  itself  and  every  other  body  in  existence. 
The  earth,  as  also  every  other  heavenly  body,  is  caused  to 
move  in  its  appropriate  orbit  by  the  united  action  of  every 
other  bodv  in  existence,  and  cannot  be  made  to  come  in 


KN   MODERN   8PIRITUALI8M.  249 

contact  with  other  bodies;  for  the  combining  influences  i  E 
all  the  separate  bodies  mark  out  separate  paths  for  each. 
Thought  is  mental  motion,  and  is  conveyed  from  one 
mind  to  another  through  an  intermediate  medium,  which 
is  put  in  motion  by  this  mental  action.  This  medium,  in 
its  refinement  lies  between  the  nervous  medium  and  Spirit, 
and  exists  in  every  degree  of  refinement  from  the  nervoua 
fluid  to  Spirit. 

"Clairvoyance  consists  in  insulating  the  mind  of  the 
subject,  and  in  proportion  as  the  mind  is  brought  into 
clear  contact  with  higher  refinements  of  this  medium,  will 
the  subject  become  clear-sighted.  Biology,  as  used  by 
Burr  and  others,  is  an  improper  term.  Psychology  would 
be  a  better  word.  The  word  Biology  was  used  to  make 
the  subject  a  humbug.  The  phenomena  attending  Psy- 
chological (Biological)  experiments,  belong  to  the  lower 
class  of  mesmeric  influences — and  pass  from  them  through 
every  degree,  to  perfect  clear-sightedness. 

"  Much  further  information  was  given  which  we  failed 
to  note.  As  the  doctor  promised  to  meet  the  circle  again, 
we  hope  to  report  a  more  complete  theory.  After  which 
the  circle  drew  up  close  to  the  table,  and  various  rapping 
sounds  were  heard  upon  the  chairs,  the  table,  the  floor, 
etc.  The  sound  of  sawing  boards,  driving  nails  into  a  box 
or  something  hollow,  was  repeated  several  times." 


260  THE   MISSING   LINK 


CHAPTER  XVILL 

NEW  YOKE  CITY,  FEOM  JANUAEY,  1852. 

Competing  Claims  upon  Us — Decision  in  Favor  of  New  York  as 
Residence — Death  op  Calvin  R.  Brown — Remains  Removed 
to  Rochester  for  Burial — Personal  Friendships — Alice 
and  plkebe  cary — course  of  test  experiments  at  dr. 
Gray's— The  Monday  Evening  Circle— Rules  of  Seances. 

I  have  sketched  our  experiences  thus  far  at  Rochester, 
Albany,  Troy,  New  York,  Buffalo,  and  Ohio  generally ; 
after  which  I  returned  to  Albany  and  Troy,  a  second  time, 
by  the  earnest  entreaty  of  friends — taking  Glens  Falls  on 
the  way,  where  I  remained  with  my  uncle  John  and  Cal- 
vin ;  my  mother  and  the  girls  being  at  that  time  in  Cin- 
cinnati for  the  second  time. 

A  fortnight  after  this  I  returned  to  my  pleasant  home 
in  Rochester  (corner  of  Troup  and  Sophia  Streets).  I  now 
considered  that  we  were  fairly  entitled  to  repose ;  and 
thought  that,  after  the  publicity  given  to  the  Spirit  mani- 
festations, through  the  press,  and  the  thousands  of  our 
visitors,  including  persons  from  all  parts  of  the  Union,  the 
duty  imposed  on  us  had  been  reasonably  and,  as  I  deemed, 
sufficiently  discharged. 

But  it  soon  became  evident  that  isolation  had  now  be- 
come impossible.  Invitations  and  appeals  of  the  most 
urgent  character  rained  upon  me  from  important  individu- 
als, and  from  collective  bodies  of  prominent  men  in  the 
respective  cities  and  towns. 

The  Spirits,  who  had  sent  us  forth,  had  well  understood 
that,  after  our  hands  had  thus  been  "  put  to  the  plough," 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUAJLI8M.  251 

it  would  be  beyond  our  possibility  to  "look  back."  Many 
friends  to  the  new  cause  urged  their  advice  that  we  should 
establish  ourselves  in  one  of  the  great  centres  of  popula- 
tion and  movement,  where  the  thousands  and  tens  of  thou- 
sands of  our  locomotive  people  could  conveniently  come  and 
hear  for  themselves.  New  1  ork  was  naturally  indicated  for 
this  purpose,  but  Cleveland  and  Cincinnati  disputed  her 
claim  ;  while  our  friends  in  Rochester  insisted  that  their  city 
was  the  most  appropriate  and  natural  home  and  centre  for 
the  "  Rochester  Knockings." 

At  last  our  Ohio  friends,  and  indeed  all  others,  concurred 
in  the  selection  of  New  York,  as  a  duty  and  for  the  good 
of  humanity ;  while  still  hoping  for  occasional  excursions 
for  the  benefit  of  other  places. 

At  Rochester,  by  way  of  keeping  up  a  continued  hold 
upon  us,  they  offered  to  provide  for  the  payment  of  the 
rent  of  my  house,  in  the  hope  that  I  would  eventually  re- 
turn to  it.     But  this  I  could  not  accept. 

Shall  I  ever  forget  that  day  of  our  departure  from 
Rochester?  Our  friends  crowded  the  depot,  and  the  part- 
ing embraces  and  hand-grasps  continued  even  after  the 
train  had  started  in  its  first  slow  movements.  Xo  small 
number  of  our  friends  made  their  adieux  in  tears  and  bless- 
ings :  while,  for  my  part,  I  remember  that  I  did  nothing 
but  cry  all  the  way  to  Syracuse.  This  was  in  the  early 
days  of  January,  1S52. 

After  a  few  days  of  stay  with  friends  and  relations  — 
(for  we  were  an  old  Knickerbocker  family,  and  it  waa  in 
my  early  childhood  that  grandfather  had  transplanted  us  to 
Wayne  County,  which  was  to  us  then  almost  the  far  West, 
with  its  deserted  wigwams  and  wandering  Indian  hunters) 
■ — we  settled  for  a  short  time  in  a  house  temporarily  taken, 
till  the  one  found  for  me  by  a  good  friend,  Mr.  Sweet, 
should  be  ready.     I  established  myself  in  West  26th  Street, 


362  Tin-:  MISSING  link 

in  a  large  and  handsome  hrown  stone  front,  in  a  neighbor- 
hood then  of  first-rate  excellence,  in  which  I  resided  for  two 
years.  From  that  house  I  removed  to  loth  Street,  next 
door  to  Irving  Place;  from  which,  after  a  residence  of  a 
year,  I  removed,  by  advice  of  my  friends,  to  Xo.  1  Ludlow 
Place,  which  I  left  only  to  go  to  my  husband's  home  in 
"West  3Tth  Street,  on  my  marriage,  in  1S58,  which  epoch 
was  also  the  close  of  my  career  of  public  mediumship. 
Twenty-six  years  have  now  elapsed  from  that  most  blessed 
of  days  to  this.  Our  home  has  been  indeed  a  happy  one. 
Though  I  have  lost  children,  it  has  never  been  that  which 
Victor  Hugo  had  not  the  heart  to  wish  for  his  worst  enemy, 
a  house  without  a  child.  Indeed,  it  has  usually  been  full 
of  them.  I  am  still "  mother,"  and  my  husband  "father," 
to  a  well-beloved  little  crowd  who  are  the  same  to  us  as 
our  very  own,  and  by  whom  I  am  indiscriminately  called 
"  Aunt  Leah  "  and  "  Ma."  And  what  with  relatives,  and 
friends  on  visits,  and  nephews  and  nieces  of  whose  educa- 
tion we  have  taken  charge,  for  the  better  advantages  of 
Xew  York,  it  has  been  one  pretty  full  of  visible  inmates, 
as  well  as  those  who  are  not  the  less  real  because  invisible. 
And  these  latter  are  ever  ready  to  respond,  with  the  dear 
familiar  raps  and  alphabet,  to  our  desire  to  communicate 
with  them ;  to  say  nothing  of  occasional  manifestations  in 
other  ways,  of  their  presence  with  us.  An  earnest  thought 
or  request  rarely  fails  to  bring  our  unseen  ones. 

During  two  years  from  the  date  of  my  marriage  with 
Calvin  R.  Brown  (see  page  230),  he  had  been  slowly  de- 
clining. He  breathed  the  last  breath  of  his  blameless  life 
on  the  4th  of  May,  1853,  while  I  was  still  residing  in  26th 
Street.  He  had  attained  the  age  of  nearly  twenty-nine 
years.  Professor  S.  B.  Brittan  preached  the  funeral  sermon 
in  New  York  on  the  Cth  day  of  May,  at  8  o'clock  p.m.     A 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  253 


large  concourse  of  personal  friends  and  friends  of  the  cause 
of  Spiritualism  attended.  After  Professor  Brittan  had 
concluded  his  discourse,  Judge  Edmonds  delivered  a  short 
eulogy  which  purported  to  come  from  the  Spirit  world.  Dr. 
Gray  came  in  rather  late,  as  he  had  heen  detained  by  pro- 
fessional duties,  and  begged  the  indulgence  of  the  audience, 
as  he  felt  it  alike  a  pleasure  and  a  duty  he  owed  to  the  de- 
parted, to  pay  a  small  tribute  to  his  memory,  and  of  condo- 
lence to  the  bereft  family.  He  then  said,  "  I  have  been 
his  attendant  physician,  and  conversed  with  him  daily  dur- 
ing his  slow  decline.  He  suffered  much  at  times,  but  never 
complained.  lie  always  met  me  with  a  smile.  He  had 
no  fear  of  death,  still  he  wanted  to  live.  He  was  firm, 
truthful,  and  honorable  in  every  sense.  He  was  a  husband, 
a  son,  and  a  brother — and  a  linch-pin  in  the  cause  of  Spirit- 
ualism.    Honor  to  whom  honor  is  due." 

During  the  delivery  of  the  speeches,  rappings  were 
heard  all  over  the  room,  in  response. 

I  regret  that  the  paper,  giving  a  minute  account  of  the 
funeral,  has  been  lost.  Arrangements  were  made  by  the 
friends,  Judge  Edmonds,  Dr.  Gray,  and  Mr.  Partridge,  to 
procure  a  church  in  Rochester,  and  announce  through  the 
papers  that  the  funeral  would  be  held  on  the  8th  of  May. 
These  parties  telegraphed  a  message  to  Isaac  Post,  of  that 
city,  to  the  above  effect,  who  immediately  returned  the 
answer,  "  Bring  on  your  dead.  My  house  is  at  your  ser- 
vice." We  started  on  the  following  morning  with  his  re- 
mains.  Our  party  consisted  of  mother,  Maggie,  Cathy, 
Lizzie  (my  daughter),  and  myself.  They  engaged  the 
undertaker  to  go  with  us  to  attend  to  the  burying  of  our 
dead.  We  arrived  in  Rochester  at  seven  o'clock  p.m.,  and 
found  the  hearse  and  carriages  at  the  depot  waiting  to  t:ike 
us  to  Mr.  Post's  house,  where  already  had  assembled  a  large 
company  of  friends  who  deeply  sympathized  with  us. 


254  THE   BXSSUrG   LIXK 

The  funeral  was  appointed  at  ten  o'clock  a.m.  <»f  the  8th. 
Kev.  Chas.  Hammond  delivered  the  funeral  sermon.  The 
remains  were  taken  to  Mount  Hope  Cemetery ;  from  whence 
we  returned  to  Isaac  Post's,  where  we  tarried  over  night. 
We  engaged  a  travelling  coach  early  the  next  morning,  and 
started  for  Newark,  thirty  miles  east  of  Rochester.  We 
arrived  at  my  brother  David's  about  three  o'clock  p.m. 
The  children  all  met  us  at  the  turn  of  the  lane  :  all  were 
delighted  to  see  us.  "We  took  them  in  the  carriage  with 
ns  ;  little  Georgie,  who  was  about  seven  years  of  age,  was 
wonderfully  struck  with  the  appearance  of  our  deep  mourn- 
ing, and  said,  "  Grandma,  what  makes  you  all  dress  so  black  ? 
Did  anybody  die  ? "  Mother  replied,  "  Yes,  dear,  your 
uncle  Calvin  died."  He  replied,  "Oh  dear,  that's  too 
bad."  After  dinner  we  all  went  to  sister  Maria's,  a  dis- 
tance of  one  mile,  taking  the  children  with  us.  When 
David  and  his  family  went  home,  little  Georgie  wanted  to 
stay  with  us,  which  he  did,  and  played  with  little  Charlie 
Smith  until  bed-time— when  they  retired  and  apparently 
slept  well  all  night.  The  next  morning  Georgie  felt  sick. 
My  brother  Stephen  harnessed  up  his  horses,  and  we  took 
him  home.  They  went  for  the  doctor  immediately,  but  he 
died  before  twelve  o'clock  that  day.  His  funeral  was  on  the 
12th  day  of  the  month.    Two  Methodist  ministers  officiated. 

It  was  a  singular  coincidence  that  two  Universalist  and 
two  Methodist  ministers  selected  the  same  Bible  text,  the 
same  funeral  hymns,  and  the  same  tunes,  at  the  services  in 
New  York,  Rochester,  and  Newark.  In  my  affliction  I  had 
not  noticed  this  until  mother  spoke  of  it,  and  said  it  was 
evident  that  the  same  guardian  influences  had  controlled 
on  all  these  three  occasions,  distinct  as  they  were  in  time, 
place,  and  circumstances.  It  was  probably  meant  that  we 
should  recognize  and  feel  the  presence  of  the  unseen  friends, 
who  thus  signified  their  sympathy  with  us  in  our  grief. 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  255 

Lizzie,  Katie,  and  myself  started  for  jSTevv  York  on  the 
morning  of  the  13th,  leaving  mother  and  Maggie  with 
David  and  Elizabeth,  who  had  suffered  such  a  sudden  be- 
reavement. 

I  abstain  from  speaking  of  the  private  friendships  which 
grew  out  of  so  much  opportunity  for  acquaintance  and  in- 
tercourse with  so  many  out  of  the  best  classes  of  Xew  York 
society  (in  the  true  sense  of  the  word).  I  am  proud  as 
well  as  happy  to  have  enjoyed  such  high  and  precious  and 
ennobling  friendships,  many  of  which  are  not  wholly 
severed  even  by  that  death  which  only  makes  our  friends 
invisible  for  a  time  to  our  mortal  eyes,  since  a  thought,  a 
wish  can  still  bring  to  me  those  signal  sounds  which  are  as 
their  voices.  I  will  indulge  myself  here  only  with  a  page 
or  two  about  two  semi-angelic  women,  Alice  and  Phoebe 
Cary,  who  have  now  risen  into  the  completeness  of  their 
angelhood. 

Alice  and  Phcebe  Cary  were  among  my  truest,  best, 
and  dearest  friends.  I  was  introduced  to  them  by  Mr. 
Greeley  when  we  first  came  to  Xew  York,  and  our  friend- 
ship continued  during  their  life.  We  passed  many  pleas- 
ant evenings  with  the  sisters  and  a  few  select  friends. 

The  last  time  I  saw  Phcebe,  we  met  in  Arnold's  store, 
the  day  before  we  sailed  for  Europe.  She  came  and  sat 
down  beside  me,  and  laid  her  hand  gently  on  mine  before 
I  saw  her.  I  was  delighted  to  see  her,  but  was  startled  by 
her  changed  appearance.  I  rallied  her  a  little,  and  tried 
to  cheer  her.  She  smiled  faintly,  but  not  as  she  was  wont 
to  do.  Phoebe  had  made  a  confidante  of  me  some  time 
before.  She  called  on  me  late  one  afternoon,  and  sent 
up  word  to  me  to  come  at  once,  as  she  could  remain  but  a 
short  time. 

It  was  an  unexpected  call,  at  that  hour,  and  I  hastened 


*J."i«>  THE   MISSING   LINK 

to  see  her  as  soon  as  possible.  She  said,  "I  could  not 
rest  without  seeing-  you.  Sit  down.  I  want  to  talk  with 
you."  T  inquired  about  Alice's  health,  as  usual,  and  she 
said,  "  Alice  will  never  be  any  better.  What  shall  I  do 
when  she  leaves  nie  ?     I  cannot  live  without  her." 

Her  dark  expressive  eyes  spoke  more  than  her  words. 
I  tried  to  console  her,  but  I  did  not  know  the  nature  of 
the  incurable  disease  that  was  slowly  but  surely  wearing 
Alice's  life  away.  She  remained  some  time,  and  when 
leaving  me  at  the  door  her  eyes  filled  with  tears. 

Mr.  Robert  Cary  (their  father),  and  his  elder  daughter, 
from  Cincinnati,  always  visited  us  when  they  were  in  New 
York,  and  they  both  related  many  interesting  occurrences 
whieh  they  had  witnessed  in  their  own  family.  I  will 
here  relate  their  "  Ghost  Story,"  as  they  told  it  to  me. 

"  There  had  been  a  thunder-storm,  and  the  pouring  rain 
had  driven  all  into  the  house.  Our  new  house  was  fin- 
ished, but  we  had  not  yet  moved  into  it.  This  new  house 
stood  opposite  the  old  one.  The  rain  was  over,  and  the 
sun  was  shining  brightly  when  our  mother  called  out,  and 
asked,  '  How  it  came  that  Rhoda  and  Lucy  were  in  the  new 
house  ? ' 

"  The  door  of  the  new  house  was  open,  and  there  stood 
Iihoda,  in  plain  sight,  holding  Lucy  in  her  arms.  The 
whole  family  came  to  the  door,  and  all  saw  the  same. 
They  called  '  Rhoda  ! '  but  received  no  answer.  They 
supposed  Rhoda  had  gone  with  Lucy  into  the  house  to 
escape  the  rain  ;  when  at  this  moment  Rhoda  came  down- 
stairs where  she  had  left  Lucy  asleep.  She,  too,  saw  what 
we  had  seen — the  apparition  of  her  own  '  wraith '  with 
that  of  Lucy  in  her  arms. 

"All  felt  solemnly  impressed,  and  believed  it  to  be  a 
warning  of  something  sorrowful.  They  went  over  imme- 
diately, and  examined  every  part  of  the  house,  but  not  a 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  257 

trace  of  any  human  being;  was  discernible.  Rhoda  died 
within  a  year,  and  Lucy  a  month  later.  They  frequently 
saw  Spirits  distinctly." 

(For  further  particulars  of  these  events  see  a  "Memo- 
rial of  Alice  and  Phoebe  Gary,"  by  Mary  Clemmer.) 

Phoebe  possessed  ready  wit.  She  attended  our  first 
reception  (soon  after  my  marriage  to  Mr.  Underbill),  after 
we  had  moved  into  our  new  house.  When  she  met  me  at 
the  parlor  door,  she  whispered  in  my  ear,  "  My  feet  are 
quite  wet ;  I  forgot  my  india  rubbers."  It  had  rained 
hard  that  afternoon.  I  told  her  she  could  find  a  change 
up-stairs  in  my  room  ;  and  sent  one  of  my  girls  to  wait 
upon  her.  When  she  came  down  into  the  parlor,  she  said 
to  me,  aside,  "I  little  thought  I  should  stand  in  your  shoes 
so  soon." 

These  sisters  were  devoted  Spiritualists,  but  knowing 
how  often  I  was  importuned  by  believers  and  curious 
people,  they  would  sometimes  specify,  in  their  notes  of 
invitation,  that  they  wanted  me  "  socially,  not  Spiritually." 
I  subjoin  to  this  chapter  facsimiles  of  two  of  Alice's  pre- 
cious little  missives,  which  I  preserve  among  my  treasures 
of  the  heart.  I  add  to  them  also  facsimiles  of  the  writing 
of  Horace  Greeley  and  Judge  Edmonds,  which  can  never 
lose  their  interest  for  Spiritualists.  I  leave  Mr.  Greeley's 
letter  as  a  puzzle  to  the  reader  to  decipher  it.  It  is  well 
known  that  a  special  apprenticeship  had  to  be  served  in 
the  Tribune  office  to  train  a  few  compositors  into  the  pos- 
sibility of  reading  his  writing. 

When  Mrs.  Greeley  died  in  October,  1872,  Mr.  Greeley 
in  his  great  sorrow  Bought  for  consolation  through  the 
Spirits.  At  his  request  Mr.  Oliver  Johnson  came  and 
asked  me  to  get  a  communication  from  Spirit  friends  of 
Mr.  Greeley.  Mr.  Underbill,  his  mother,  Mr.  Johnson, 
and  myself  took  seats  at  the  table,  and  waited  in  silence 


258  THE   MISSING   LINK 

for  some  Spirit  to  manifest.  Very  soon  the  alphabet  was 
signalled  for,  and  this  was  spelled  (it  was  taken  down  by 
Mr.  Underbill),  "  Bear  my  message  to  my  dear  friend 
Horace.  Tell  him  many  kindred  Spirits  are  hovering 
around  him  in  this  day  of  trial ;  and  though  he  may  not 
be  susceptible  to  our  heart-whisperings  now,  when  quiet 
and  rested  he  will  feel  the  truthfulness  of  this  message. 
Truth  will  meet  a  response  in  his  honest  heart. 

"Alice  Cary." 


COURSES  OF   TEST    EXPERIMENTATION. 

One  of  the  courses  of  test  experimentation  made  within 
this  period  in  Xew  York  was  as  follows  : 

I  met  a  party  of  gentlemen  at  the  house  of  Dr.  John  F. 
Gray,  in  Lafayette  Place,  New  York  City,  for  about  two 
years.  The  meetings  were  held  once  a  week.  The  circle 
was  composed  of  Dr.  John  F.  Gray,  Hon.  John  W.  Ed- 
monds, Dr.  Robert  T.  Hallock,  Dr.  Hull,  Charles  Part- 
ridge, and  George  Washington  Pains.  The  latter  gentle- 
man was  an  officer  in  the  U.  S.  Army,  and  stationed  at 
that  time  on  Governor's  Island. 

This  party  carefully,  honestly,  and  scientifically  investi- 
gated the  rappings  and  all  phenomena  connected  there- 
with. They  sought  to  ascertain,  if  possible,  the  peculiar 
temperament  of  both  mind  and  body,  or  the  predominant 
qualities  of  either,  or  both,  to  become  instrumental,  or  to 
interpose  an  agency,  between  the  visible  and  invisible 
worlds. 

They  were  disgusted  with  the  silly  pretended  expose  of 
the  conceited  "  Buffalo  doctors,"  and  the  equally  silly  and 
infamous  C.  C.  Burr. 

Major  Pains  was  an  educated  chemist  and  fine  electri- 
cian.    He  arranged  a  swing,  which  was  fastened  to  iron 


IN   MODERN   BPERITUAEISM.  259 

or  steel  chains,  sustained  by  tackles  and  pulleys  attached 
to  the  ceiling.  I  sat  in  the  swing,  and  over  niv  head  was 
a  large  glass  of  circular  form,  about  two  and  a  half  feet  in 
diameter,  and  beneath  my  feet  (which  were  about  four 
feet  from  the  floor)  was  a  steel  circular  disk  about  three 
feet  in  diameter.  The  whole  arrangement  was  suspended 
by  the  tackles.  Major  Rains  brought  his  electrometer, 
and  made  every  experiment  that  their  ingenuity  could  in- 
vent or  suggest.  They  suspended  the  table  ;  each  person 
in  the  room  standing  on  horse-shoe  magnets  provided  for 
that  occasion. 

The  physicians  were  provided  with  stethoscopes,  and 
placed  them  on  different  parts  of  my  person.  They  all 
declared  "that  the  sounds  had  nothing  whatever  to  do 
with  the  physical  body  ;"  and,  "  So  far  as  we  can  discover, 
the  mediums  have  no  more  power  over  the  sounds  than 
the  investigators  have." 

Such  has  been  the  character  of  the  verdict,  whenever  an 
honest  attempt  has  been  made  to  discover  the  source  of 
the  rappings. 

PRIVATE   CIRCLE   FOR   MEETINGS    OX   MONDAY   EVENINGS. 

This  circle  was  composed  of  Professor  Mapes,  Dr.  A.  D. 
"Wilson,  Dr.  Kirby,  Dr.  John  F.  Gray,  "W".  P.  Sanger  and 
wife,  Dr.  Robert  Hallock,  George  "Willets,  Hon.  John  W. 
Edmonds,  John  T.  Dale}',  and  several  others.  This  party 
was  known  as  Professor  Mapes's  party. 

This  party  agreed  to  sit  for  development,  and  waive  all 
personal  questions,  as  they  wanted  to  learn  all  they  could 
of  a  general  character. 

It  was  also  agreed,  by  the  heads  of  the  committee,  that  no 
fanatic  in  Spiritualism,  nor  dictatorial  or  seltish  individual, 
should  be  admitted  to  their  party.     If,  by  chance,  any  one 


260  THE  MI89ESTG  LINK 

conflicting  with  the  harmony  of  the  circle  was  admitted, 
he  was  forth  with  expelled.  I  could  mention  several  who 
were  thus  dismissed,  or  gotten  rid  of,  after  having  been 
admitted.  I  must  pass  over  many  very  interesting  and 
important  facts  that  were  made  known  to  and  through  that 
intellectual  and  honorable  party.  One  circumstance,  as  a 
visible  and  tangible  phenomenon,  was  beyond  all  cavil. 

Professor  Mapes  was  requested,  by  Spirit  direction,  to 
place  a  number  of  three-cent  pieces  on  the  floor,  under 
the  table  between  his  feet,  and  they  would  let  him  see 
what  the  Spirits  would  do  with  them.  All  the  gentlemen 
present  searched  their  pockets,  but  could  not  find  enough 
to  gratify  the  demand  of  the  Spirits  ;  so  one  of  the  gen- 
tlemen of  the  party  went  out  and  succeeded  in  getting  a 
large  handful  of  them.  They  were  then  more  plentiful 
in  circulation  than  they  are  now.  The  professor  then 
placed  them  as  directed.  lie  scattered  the  coin  on  the 
floor,  and  placed  his  feet  in  front  of  the  money,  protecting 
it  from  any  interference ;  they  strictly  prohibited  all 
women  save  myself  and  the  wife  of  one  of  the  company, 
from  the  circle — for  my  sisters  were  at  that  time  holding 
sittings  at  their  own  home.  The  party  was  then  directed 
to  examine  the  situation  of  the  professor  and  the  money. 
The  gas  was  burning  brightly.  I  never  turned  down  the 
lights,  and  knew  nothing  of  cabinets  or  curtains,  and  had 
never,  at  that  time,  heard  of  them.  The  professor  sat  at 
one  end  of  the  table,  and  I  sat,  facing  him,  at  the  other 
end.  We  were  at  further  distance  apart  than  any  other 
two  of  the  circle.  The  Spirits  directed  us  to  sing.  We 
sang  a  few  minutes,  and  they  spelled  out  "  look."  The 
professor  moved  back,  and  there,  in  five  piles  lying  neatly 
piled  one  upon  the  other,  to  the  extent  of  four  inches  each 
in  height,  were  the  three-cent  pieces.  The  company  were 
all  directed  to  leave  their  seats  and  look  at  them.     Pro- 


IX  MODEKN   SPIRITUALISM.  261 


fessor  Mapes  made  a  draft  of  the  positions  of  the  money 
before  and  after  the  experiment. 

One  of  the  party,  a  gentleman  of  veracity,  had  his  gaiter 
unbuttoned  while  sitting  in  the  circle.  lie  was  greatly 
excited,  but,  according  to  the  rules  under  which  he  entered 
the  association,  he  did  not  speak  until  the  manifestations 
ceased.  lie  was  then  called  upon  to  explain  to  the  circle ; 
which  he  did  by  holding  up  his  feet  and  showing  to  the 
circle  that  a  playful  Spirit  had  meddled  with  one  of  his 
gaiters.  (He  wore  cloth  gaiters  and  low  shoes.)  And  the 
strangest  part  of  the  thing  was  that  it  could  not  be  found 
in  the  room.  He  was  asked  to  explain  what  the  sensation 
was.  lie  said,  "  The  hand  that  held  my  foot  was  icy  cold, 
and  the  nimble  fingers  that  unbuttoned  the  gaiter  were 
burning  hot."  He  added,  "  My  gaiter  was  new,  and  but- 
toned tightly."  They  were  sometimes  directed  to  get  on 
the  table  ;  and,  without  hands  touching  it,  it  would  run  all 
over  the  floor — sometimes  with  one,  and  often  with  two 
or  three  persons,  upon  it. 

RULES    OF    SEANCES. 

At  our  public  hours,  none  were  admitted  but  investi- 
gators. An  intelligent  waiter  at  the  door  received  the 
fee  on  their  entrance,  though  the  number  was  not  incon- 
siderable who  were  welcome  without  fee,  nor  of  those  to 
whom,  when  I  had  reason  to  know  them  to  be  poor  and 
deserving,  I  afterward  returned  it. 

The  following  were  my  private  rales,  made  known  to  all 
visitors,  compliance  with  which  was  enforced  by  the  gen- 
eral public  feeling,  and  by  the  respectful  and  polite  tone 
which  characterized  my  receptions,  and  the  personal  con- 
sideration of  which  all  the  family  were  the  objects,  from 
our  noble  mother,  who  was  usually  present,  to  our  young- 
est sister,  Katie  (now  Mrs.  Jencken,  in  London). 


202  THE   MISSING    LINK 


"RULES    OF   ORDER. 

"Each  individual  in  the  Circle  is  entitled  to  a  just  pro- 
portion of  the  time,  and  that  it  may  be  secured  to  each  in 
turn,  without  interruption  or  annoyance,  System  and  Order 
are  essential,  to  secure  which,  the  following  Kules  of  Older 
are  expected  to  be  observed. 

"  First. — Each  person  may  use  the  time  which  properly 
belongs  to  him  as  he  sees  tit,  but,  having  so  used  it,  cannot 
again  ask  questions,  or  in  any  way  appropriate  the  time, 
except  he  is  again  reached  in  rotation. 

"Second. — Any  aid  that  new  investigators  may  require 
will  be  cheerfully  rendered  by  Mrs.  Brown,  but  no  other 
person  in  the  Circle  should,  by  prompting,  suggesting,  loud 
conversation,  or  otherwise,  interfere  with,  the  person  in 
communication.  Particular  attention  is  called  to  this 
Hide,  and  an  exact  and  rigid  observance  of  it  requested,  as 
its  violation  results  in  great  loss  of  time  and  disturbs  the 
Harmony,  which  is  essential  to  reliable  communications.  ■ 

"  Third. — Conversation  in  the  Circle,  except  by  those  in 
communication  with  the  Spirit,  should  be  as  little  as  possi- 
ble, and  that  aside  and  in  an  undertone. 

" Fourth. — All  persons  should  follow,  without  delay  or 
discussion,  all  directions  with  reference  to  conduct,  position, 
etc.,  as  compliance  with  directions  generally  insures  satis- 
factory manifestations,  while  neglect  or  refusal  usually  re- 
sults in  their  partial  or  complete  cessation. 

"Fifth. — The  ladies,  in  whose  presence  the  manifesta- 
tions are  made,  will  use  their  best  exertions  to  satisfy  all 
inquiries  ;  but  since  the  manifestations,  alike  in  their  com- 
mencement, character  and  duration,  are  above  their  personal 
control,  they  cannot  promise  that  all  persons,  or  all  inquiries, 
will  obtain  answers,  no  manifestations  being  made  except 
as  the  Spirits  will. 

EXPLANATIONS. 

The  subject  should  be  approached  in  good  faith  and  with 
entire  truthfulness  and  honesty,  by  all  who  seek  correct 
responses.     This  remark  is  suggested  by  the  law  which  in 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  263 

Spiritual  intercourse  is  believed  to  be  of  universal  applica- 
tion, viz.,  '  Like  attracts  LI />■<■.' 

"  The  communications  are  mainly  conversational  in  their 
nature,  and  in  answer  to  questions  such  as  can  be  responded 
to  by  the  Spirits  in  the  monosyllables.  Yes  and  No. 

"  Inquirers  should  direct  their  questions  to  the  Spirits, 
as  if  they  were  conversing  with  them  in  the  body,  stating 
their  questions  plainly,  either  in  writing  or  orally. 

The  answers  by  the  Spirits  are  given  by  signals  as  fol- 
lows : 

Three  raps  signifying  Yes. 

One  rap  "  No. 

Two  raps  "  neither    Yes  nor  No,  but  vari- 

ously, according  to  the  nature  of  the  question,  as  :  not  noio, 
not  yet,  not  quite,  don't  know,  and  the  like. 

Five  raps  signifying  Alphabet — The  Alphabet  is  never 
responded  to,  except  when  the  signal  for  it  has  been  given 
by  the  Spirit.  Hence,  to  save  time,  it  is  never  called,  un- 
less the  signal  has  been  heard. 

Continuous  light  raps  indicate  an  error  in  the  answer 
just  given.  They  annul  the  signal  previously  made,  and 
the  question  should  be  repeated. 

Continuous  loud  raps  indicate  want  of  Harmony  in  the 
Circle,  and  may  generally  be  taken  as  a  reproof  in  conse- 
quence of  some  violation  of  the  Rules  of  Order. 

Admission  One  Dollar. 

Hours:  From  3  to. 5  p.m.,  and  8  to  10  in  the  evening; 
except  Wednesday  and  Saturday  evenings,  and  Saturday 
afternoons,  which  are  reserved  for  private  parties. 

The  mornings  of  each  day  are  also  appropriated  to  private 
parties,  the  terms  for  which  are  five  dollars  for  each  hour, 
and  for  which  arrangements  can  be  made  by  application  to 
Mrs.  Brown. 

^^No  visitors  will  be  received  on  Sundays. 


We  received  a  great  deal  of  money.  There  were  occa- 
sional days  when  my  maid,  the  good  and  faithful  Susie, 
would  make  returns  of  a  hundred  dollars  as  the  day's  re- 


204  THE   MISSING   LINK 


ceipts ;  but  it  was  as  freely  spent  as  given.  We,  none  of 
us,  have  ever  been  accused  of  the  spirit  of  hoarding;  nor 
had  Mammon  any  temple  in  the  home  or  in  the  hearts  of 
any  of  us,  though  Charity  had  ;  and  that,  I  think,  is  one  of 
the  frequent  though  not  invariable  fruits  of  Spiritualism  and 
intercourse  with  Spirits,  observable  in  human  character 
and  life.  Money,  and  selfishness  in  all  its  forms,  are  apt 
to  shrink  into  small  dimensions  of  value  in  the  minds  of 
persons  who  communicate  much  with  those  of  the  next 
life,  and  who  thus  come  to  know  and  realize,  as  a  certainty, 
the  truth  of  that  next  life. 


IN   MODERN    SPIRITUALISM. 


265 


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266 


THE   MISSING   LINK 


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IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  267 


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THE    MISSING    LINK 


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IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  269 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

NEW  YOKE.  CITY  (Continued). 

Our  Brilliant  Success  with  the  Superior  Intellectual 
Classes— Whiskey  at  Washington — Cognizance  of  Domestic 
Secrets — Discomfiture  of  Anderson,  ' '  the  Wizard  of  the 
North'' — Remarkable  Experience  with  a  Very  Notorious 
Person. 

Our  rooms  were  frequented  by  much,  of  the  best  society 
in  Xew  York  ;  and  it  was  common  to  see  the  street  en- 
cumbered with  long  files  of  carriages.  Particularly  the 
intellectual  and  literary  classes  were  familiar  visitors,  both 
at  our  circles  and  in  our  private  life.  Many  of  them  be- 
came our  most  intimate  friends.  Hundreds  of  promiscu- 
ous visitors  were  deeply  interested,  and  were,  in  reality, 
Spiritualists  at  heart  who  had  not  the  courage  to  face  the 
social  and  business  disadvantages  attaching  to  the  public 
avowal  of  such  a  novel  and  unpopular  doctrine,  which  the 
clergy,  as  a  rule,  denounced.  Several  of  the  most  highly 
respected  Senators  in  Congress  having  became  open  and 
warm  Spiritualists — among  whom  Gov.  X.  P.  Talhnadge 
was  the  most  openly  zealous — probably  nearly  all  of  that 
body  passed  through  the  experience  of  our  rooms ;  for  I 
frequently  received  telegrams  from  Washington  for  private 
engagements  for  a  party  of  a  dozen  or  more.  It  was  re- 
markable how  the  superior  classes  of  actors  took  1>>  Spirit- 
ualism,  and  I  have  been  greatly  interested  in  them  from 
my  earliest  acquaintance  with  them.  My  tenderest  sym- 
pathies have  been  awakened  when  sitting  in  circles  with 
many  of  them,  who  have  been  raised  in  my  estimation  far 


270  THE   MISSING   LINK 

above  the  level  of  those  who  fancy  themselves  to  be  their 
superiors. 

This  Spiritualism  is  a  searcher  of  hearts,  and  the  truly 
good  get  satisfactory  answers  and  elevated  Spirits  to  guide 
and  watch  over  them.  But  to  return  to  Washington,  it 
was  not  at  that  time  a  very  satisfactory  place  for  the  prose- 
cution of  Spiritualism  :  even  though  it  was  such  a  centre  of 
congregation  from  all  parts  of  the  country.  It  was,  in- 
deed, a  centre  of  political  agitation,  and  business  connected 
with  the  Government ;  but  at  that  time,  at  least,  too  much 
whiskey  was  consumed  there.  The  following  letter  from 
my  young  sister  Katie  will  sufficiently  illustrate  this : 

"  I  am  tired  of  my  life.  Only  think  of  it !  Last  even- 
ing a  party  of  twelve  fine-looking  gentlemen  visited  our 
rooms.  All,  but  two,  were  as  drunk  as  they  could  well  be. 
They  made  mean,  low  remarks.  Only  imagine  Maggie 
and  me,  and  dear  mother,  before  a  crowd  of  drunken  Sen- 
ators !  One  very  fine-looking  man  stood  up  before  the 
crowd,  and  addressed  them  thus :  '  I  wish  to  be  heard, 
gentlemen.  This  is  all  a  humbug,  but  it  is  worth  a  dollar 
to  sit  in  the  sunlight  of  Miss  Kate's  eyes.' 

"  (Margaretta  had  left  in  disgust.)  At  this  sudden  an- 
nouncement, all  was  still  as  death.  My  face  was  red  as 
fire.  A  friend  walked  up  to  me.  He  was  from  the  Kavy- 
yard,  and  said,  '  Don't  mind  him,  he  is  drunk  ;  I  would 
not  pay  the  least  attention  to  him.  He  is  a  gentleman 
when  sober ;  and  when  I  repeat  his  language  to  him  to- 
morrow, he  will  feel  ashamed  of  his  conduct.'  We  all 
left  the  room,  and  that  ended  the  scene.  Oh,  dear  Leah,  I 
long  to  be  laid  in  a  peaceful  grave.  I  care  not  how  soon. 
I  would  live  on  a  crust  of  bread,  and  drink  cold  water,  if  I 
could  live  a  different  life.  Oh,  how  we  wished  for  you, 
dear  Leah  !     I  told  them,  if  my  sister  Leah  was  with  us, 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  271 

they  would  not  dare  insult  us.     They  would  be  escorted  by 
officers  from  our  rooms. 

"  Washington  is  a  mean  city.  I  despise  nearly  every- 
thing I  meet  here.  Gov.  Tallmadge  and  Waddy  Thompson 
are  honorable  gentlemen.  They  bring  their  friends  dur- 
ing our  private  hours." 

I  have  written  these  extracts  from  my  child-sisters 
letter,  to  more  fully  illustrate  the  dreadful  position  we  held 
at  that  time.  Still,  some  wondered  how  it  was  that  the 
'•  Fox  Family  "  should  have  been  the  chosen  ones,  through 
whom  Spirits  could  communicate  ;  and  one  little  incident, 
which  I  can  never  forget,  transpired  when  we  were  at  Bar- 
naul's Hotel,  corner  of  Maiden  Lane  and  Broadway,  1850. 

Dr.  Scott,  a  tall,  wiry,  wriggling  old  consequence,  walked 
np  to  mother  with  his  smirking  smile  (the  rooms  were 
filled  with  investigators,  and  he  wished  to  appear  to  great 
advantage),  and  said,  bending  low,  "  Mrs.  Fox,  can  you 
explain  why  your  children  should  be  mediums  ?  Is  it  be- 
cause 3'our  family  are  better  than  other  folk  '.  " 

Mother  replied,  "  Dr.  Scott,  can  you  explain  to  me  why 
fresh  fish  swim  in  salt  water  ? "  They  looked  at  each 
other  in  silence,  while  the  company  roared  with  laughter. 

Experience  taught  me  to  adopt  a  rule  not  to  give  private 
seances  to  single  strangers,  but  rather  to  only  two  or  more 
at  a  time.  This  was  not  so  much  as  a  safeguard  against 
personal  impertinences  (for  such  things  were  of  rare  occur- 
rence, and  never  repeated),  but  under  the  advice  of  my 
Spirit  friends,  to  afford  some  protection  against  malignant 
enemies  who  might  come  (as  had  happened)  under  a  mask 
of  friendly  interest  and  honest  investigation,  and  then, 
when  unchecked  by  the  presence  of  another  witness,  give 
calumnious  accounts  of  their  private  seances.  I  might 
cite  some  curious  instances  of  this. 


272  Tin:  missing  link 


But  I  should  have  but  few  instances  to  tell  of  personal 
impertinence  ever  having  been  addressed  to  me,  though 

thus  living  a  life  which  constantly  afforded  to  promiscuous 
strangers  the  free  admission  to  the  presence  of  myself  and 
my  young  sisters,  protected  only  by  their  dignity  and  their 
noble  mother's  presence.  I  will  mention  but  one,  which  oc- 
curred in  an  Eastern  city,  in  1857,  the  hero  of  which  was  an 
important  man  who  had  inherited  from  a  far  nobler  father 
one  of  the  greatest  names  known  to  our  history.  The  in- 
cident occurred  neither  in  New  York  nor  in  Washington, 
but  to  name  the  city  Avould  go  far  to  identify  the  person. 
Five  gentlemen  were  announced  at  one  of  my  public 
hours,  of  whom  one  was  evidently  the  most  prominent 
man,  and  a  sort  of  leader  of  the  company.  A  glance  suf- 
ficed to  show  that  he  was  considerably  intoxicated,  and  that 
some  of  his  companions  had  had  more  or  less  share  in  the 
conviviality  which  had  preceded  their  visits  to  the  "  Spirits  " 
of  a  different  kind.  He  is  no  longer  in  this  life,  but  some 
of  the  rest  doubtless  survive,  and  are  not  likely  to  have 
forgotten  the  occasion  when  they  had  to  retire  ignomini- 
ously  from  my  rooms  at  a  hotel. 


Naturally  during  the  years  thus  spent  in  the  exercise  of 
my  mediumship  in  New  York,  I  became  acquainted  with 
no  small  number  of  domestic  and  family  affairs  of  the 
most  delicate — sometimes  the  most  painful — character. 
In  the  private  seances  so  often  solicited  by  visitors  there 
would  arise,  in  their  communication  with  Spirits,  revela- 
tions of  secrets  the  existence  of  which  was  little  suspected 
by  the  outside  world,  and  which,  with  me,  were  under  no 
less  absolute  and  sacred  a  sanction  of  secresy  than  in  the 
Catholic  confessional,  or  the  confidential  relations  of  the 
medical  man.     And  it  is  a  happiness  for  me  to  know  that, 


IN  MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  273 

apart  from  the  communications  received  by  visitors  from 
their  Spirit  friends,  I  have  many  a  time  and  oft  had  the 
opportunity  of  exerting  useful  influences  on  the  minds  of 
some  whose  inmost  hearts  and  lives  have  thus  been  laid 
open  before  a  sympathetic  and  sisterly  eye. 


DISCOMFITURE    OF  ANDERSON,  "  THE  WIZARD    OF    THE    NORTH. 

I  am  tempted  to  relate  one  occurrence  of  this  period, 
though  I  do  not  remember  its  exact  date.  The  newspapers 
will  supply  it  to  anybody  desirous  of  chronological  ac- 
curacy (it  must  have  been  about  the  middle  of  1S53).  The 
famous  conjurer  Anderson,  "  The  Wizard  of  the  North," 
was  exhibiting  in  New  York,  I  believe  in  the  large  build- 
ing called  Tripler  Hall,  in  the  rear  of  a  hotel  on  Broadway, 
near  Bond  Street.  He  had  advertised  a  challenge  to  any 
"  poverty-stricken  medium  "  to  come  to  his  hall  and  at- 
tempt to  produce  their  "knockings"  if  they  could,  with 
the  offer  of  a  thousand  dollars  if  they  should  do  so.  Pos- 
sibly he  had  expected  to  crowd  his  hall  for  several  even- 
ings by  this  clap-trap,  as  he  was  himself  a  conjuring  trick- 
ster by  trade,  he  supposed  that  we  were  of  the  same 
kidney,  or  class,  and  that  we  would  not  venture  to  accept 
such  a  challenge  from  him.  It  happened  that  we  (Katy 
and  I)  arrived  one  evening  at  home  from  a  week's  absence 
in  Rochester,  and  were  told  at  the  door  by  Susie  that 
Judge  Edmonds,  Dr.  Gray,  and  one  or  two  friends  more 
were  waiting  in  the  parlor  to  see  us.  They  had  known  of 
our  expected  arrival  at  that  hour. 

Xow,  the  object  of  our  visit  to  Rochester  had  been  this : 
I  had  conveyed  there  for  burial  the  body  of  a  beloved 
member  of  my  family.  After  that  interment,  I  was 
further  detained  by  the  death  of  a  nephew,  and  the  same 
undertaker  remained   to  conduct   this  second   ceremony. 


274  THE   MISSING-   LINK 

The  friends  avIio  were  awaiting  ns  at  home  hastily  explained 
the  situation,  Anderson's  challenge,  etc.,  and  said  that  we 
ought  to  be  already  at  Tripler  Hall,  and  urged  our  instant 
starting.  I  pleaded  the  impossibility  (physical  and  moral), 
but  they  insisted  that  we  must  not  leave  that  triumph  to 
our  adversaries — for  the  sake  of  our  cause  as  well  as  for 
our  own  or  that  of  our  friends.  They  said  that  a  cup  of 
tea  could  be  prepared  and  swallowed  in  fifteen  minutes, 
and  the  upshot  was  that  Judge  Edmonds  drafted  a  short 
note  to  Mr.  Anderson,  which  I  copied  and  signed,  announc- 
ing our  acceptance  of  his  challenge  and  our  speedy  follow- 
ing after  our  missive,  with  the  sole  variation  from  his 
Eerms  that  the  one  thousand  dollars  were  to  go  to  some 
public  charity  (I  forget  which),  as  we  would  not  accept  it. 
A  reliable  messenger  rushed  off  to  place  it  in  Anderson's 
hands.  We  reached  the  hall  with  all  possible  speed  and 
found  it  crowded  to  its  utmost  capacity.  I  had  the  arm 
of  Judge  Edmonds,  and  Kate  that  of  Dr.  Gray.  We 
arrived  in  time  to  hear  Anderson  reading  aloud,  at  the 
front  of  his  stage,  the  concluding  lines  of  the  letter  he  had 
received.  He  was  in  a  perfect  rage,  gesticulating  in  the 
most  violent  manner,  denouncing  the  suddenness  with 
which  this  had  been  sprung  upon  him,  etc.,  etc.,  and  re- 
fusing us  admission  to  his  stage.  All  know  that  conjurers 
usually  extend  forward  a  long  bridge  from  their  stage  over 
the  pit  of  the  theatre,  along  which  they  travel  to  and  fro 
in  the  course  of  their  dealings,  and  "patter"  with  the 
audience.  We  and  our  respective  escorts  (we,  of  course, 
in  deepest  of  crapes,  and  dropping  with  fatigue  *)  ascended 

*  In  this  I  but  followed  in  the  rut  of  custom  I  do  not  now  approve 
of  crapes  and  lugubrious  mourning.  Why  thus  parade  insignia  of 
mourning  for  the  mere  disappearance  of  those  whom  we  know  to  be  now 
more  alive  than  when  they  were  fettered  by  the  bonds  of  sublunary  life 
— far,  far  happier  and  higher — and  not  less  near  and  loving  to  us  than 


IN    MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  275 

the  outer  steps  of  this  bridge,  and  moved  forward  toward 
the  stage,  to  which  we  came  very  near.  But  the  violence 
of  speech  and  action  by  Anderson,  who  barred  the  way  at 
the  other  end,  held  us  back.  Mr.  Partridge  spoke  from 
the  stage,  and  Judge  Edmonds  and  Dr.  Gray  from  their 
places,  relating  the  facts,  how  we  had  that  moment  re- 
turned from  burying  our  dead,  exhausted  with  fatigue 
and  hunger,  and  heart-broken  with  grief,  but  had  yielded 
to  their  appeals  to  us  to  come  instantly  to  meet  the  chal- 
lenge which  had  been  addressed  to  us  and  to  Spiritualism, 
with  the  simple  condition  that  the  money  staked  by  An- 
derson should  go  not  to  us  but  to  a  public  charity.  It  may 
be  imagined  what  effect  all  this  produced  upon  the  audi- 
ence. "  Fair  play  to  the  Rochester  knockings  !  "  "  Fair 
play  to  the  sisters  ! "  etc.,  etc.,  mingled,  with  hisses,  seemed 
to  come  from  every  throat.  A  very  little  more,  and  I  be- 
lieve the  "  Wizard  of  the  Xorth  "  would  have  been  mobbed 
on  his  own  stage.  But  finding  that  we  could  not  gain  ad- 
mission to  it  while  he  thus  barred  the  way,  and  it  being 
plain  and  patent  to  everybody  that  he  had  backed  down, 
and  that  we  and  Spiritualism  were  incontestably  triumph- 
ant, the  crape-draped  figures,  with  their  highly  honorable 
escort,  withdrew  as  they  had  come,  and  glad  were  we  to  get 
back  home  and  to  disrobe.ourselves  of  our  travelling  dresses. 
The  next  day  the  papers  told  how  Anderson  had  backed 
down,  and  for  a  week  following  redoubled  crowds  flocked 
to  our  receptions  with  their  congratulations. 

The  conjurer  might,  of  course,  have  been  sued  by  us  for 
his  sl?000,  for  the  benefit  of  a  charity  ;  but  we  were  satisfied, 


they  had  been  when  we  could  see,  hear,  and  feel  them  with  our  natural 
-  Our  immoderate  grief  only  grieves  them  Spiritualism  will, 
mi.-  day,  put  an  end  to  tin-  trade  in  crape,  ''  and,''  tli.'  Bcribe  migb.1  «rell 
add,  " the  enormous  exactions  of  the  undertaker,  which  often  impov- 
erish the   living  but  sincere  mourners.'' 


vJ?t)  THE   MISSING  LINK 

and  eared  no  further  for  that  or  for  him.  He  never  re- 
newed the  challenge,  or  if  he  ever  did,  in  any  distant  place 
when  we  were  not  there  to  respond  (as  is  likely  enough, 
for  such  is  a  conjurer's  trick),  we  never  heard  of  it. 

The  "  Wizard  "  had  met  with  about  as  bad  a  fate  as  the 
Buffalo  doctors,  with  their  knee  theory,  the  Rev.  0.  C. 
Burr,  with  his  toe-ology,  and  the  Harvard  professors,  with 
their  unknown  theory — promised,  but  never  put  forth. 
Anderson  had,  no  doubt,  never  examined  the  numerous 
"  investigations"  through  which  we  had  passed  triumphant, 
and  had  taken  for  granted  that  we  were  tricksters,  like  him- 
self, who  needed  our  own  stage,  machinery,  etc.,  and  was 
p'robably  the  most  astonished  of  men  and  conjurers  when 
he  received  my  unostentatious  acceptance  of  his  challenge, 
followed  up  by  the  de facto  appearance  of  two  black-draped 
and  travel-worn  young  ladies  with  their  escorts,  bearding 
the  lion  in  his  den,  and  vainly  applying  for  impromptu  ad- 
mission to  his  own  stage. 


REM AKK ABLE     EXPERIENCE     WITH     A     OXCE    VERY     X'OTORIOUS 

PERSON. 

One  afternoon  in  1852,  between  five  and  eight  (my  pri- 
vate hours),  my  good  Susie  announced  a  grand  lady,  appar- 
ently, who  had  come  in  a  fine  carriage  with  a  footman, 
and  who,  when  told  that  it  was  not  one  of  my  hours  for 
receiving,  begged  to  see  me  for  a  moment.  She  was  ad- 
mitted, in  her  satins  and  velvets,  of  good  figure,  handsome 
and  striking,  though  not  beautiful  nor  longer  very  young; 
lady-like  in  her  deportment  and  general  effect,  though  I 
could  discover  that  her  language  was  not  quite  up  to  her 
elegant  style  of  dress  and  manner.  She  made  on  me  the 
impression  of  some  woman  of  rather  inferior  antecedents, 
who  had  been  married  by  some  rich  man  for  her  good  looks. 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  277 

She  wanted  simply  to  make  an  engagement  for  a  private 
hour,  which  I  gave  her  for  the  next  morning,  and  to  which 
she  was  duly  punctual. 

She  had  not  been  long  seated  at  the  table  with  me,  after 
asking  some  questions,  when  she  bent  her  head  down  upon 
the  table  and  wept  and  sobbed  convulsively,  and  called  on 
the  Spirit  of  her  mother,  who,  together  with  other  affec- 
tionate expressions,  answered  in  substance,  "  My  dear  child, 
you  were  left  destitute,  and  a  helpless  child,  and  neglected 
and  abused  by  those  who  should  have  taken  care  of  you." 
After  recovering  herself,  she  said,  "You  little  know  how 
this  affects  me.  These  are  words  of  tenderness  from  my 
mother;  I  do  believe  it,  and  I  am  sure  of  it.  I  was,  in- 
deed, left  a  helpless  child  to  the  cold  charity  of  the  world." 

She  did  not  remain  very  long,  nor  do  I  recall  more  de- 
tails ;  but  she  wept  profusely  and  sobbed,  and  took  my 
hand,  bidding  me  good-bye,  leaving  on  the  table  the  regu- 
lar fee  of  s5.  I  had  no  reason  to  expect  to  see  her  again, 
nor  any  to  doubt  her  entire  respectability. 

She  soon  after  came  again  (my  maid  Susie  announced 
her  as  "  the  rich  lady  ")  and  engaged  another  hour  for  a 
private  party  of  her  friends.  There  came  with  her,  to 
that  appointment,  three  or  four  nice-looking  and  well-be- 
haved young  women,  and  two  little  girls,  sisters,  of  nine 
and  eleven  years,  whom  she  presented  to  me  as  "  my  Grade 
and  my  Florence  ;  "  and  whom  I,  at  the  time,  presumed  to 
be  her  children. 

She  asked,  "  Is  so  and  so  present  ?  "  (I  do  not  recall  the 
name.)  "Yes,"  was  answered  ;  and  she  asked,  "What  shall 
I  do  with  these  dear  children  ?"  The  reply  came,  "You 
have  done  well  by  them  so  far."  They  were  pretty  and 
sweet-mannered  children,  evidently  under  good  training. 
She  said  they  were  not  her  own,  and  that  they  were  being 
brought  up  at  a  superior  seminary  in  Albany,  and  that  on 


278  Tin:   MISSING    i.ixk 


coining  of  age  they  would  inherit  a  good  property.  She 
turned  to  the  children  and  .-aid,  "Your  father  andmother 
are  here."  "Oh!  aunty  (clinging  to  her),  what  do  they 
Bay?"  "They  say  you  must  continue  at  school/'  (The 
children  loved  her,  and  had  wanted  to  come  home  to  her.) 
The  Spirits  then  rapped  out,  "  We  watch  over  you  hourly. 
When  you  pray  we  always  listen  to  yourprayers."  There 
was  weeping  and  sobbing  betwen  the  children  and  their 
"  Aunty."  Some  questions  then  passed  respecting  their 
property  and  minor  matters.  I  afterward  learned  from 
my  good  friend.  Dr.  Wilson,  who  knew  all  about  them, 
that  the  father,  after  the  death  of  the  mother,  had  fall- 
en into  relations  with  my  visitor  (who,  to  me,  was  as  yet 
only  "  the  rich  lady  "),  and  then,  when  he  found  his  end  ap- 
proaching (from  consumption),  had  given  her  his  direc- 
tions about  his  children,  knowing  her  heart  to  be  good, 
and  reliable  for  conformity  to  them.  While  this  sitting 
was  going  on  an  interruption  occurred,  which  eventually 
led  up  to  such  consequences  that  I  must  introduce  it. 

A  French  woman,  an  importer  of  laces  and  a  pedler  of 
them,  was  announced  by  Susie,  who  knew  that  I  had  some 
business  with  her  about  the  purchase  of  some  of  her 
goods,  and  I  had  to  give  her  a  few  minutes.  She  was  a 
keen  and  artful  woman,  and  having  noticed  the  style  of 
the  customary  carriages  at  my  door,  she  asked  me  if- 1 
could  not  introduce  her  to  some  of  my  friends,  to  whom 
she  might  sell  some  of  her  wares.  I  yielded  to  her  re- 
quest (such  women  are  sometimes  irresistible),  and  the 
result  was  that,  on  my  showing  my  own  lace  to  my  elegant 
visitors,  they  examined  the  store  in  her  box,  and  two  of 
them  engaged  sets  of  lace  from  her.  Through  her  acquaint- 
ance thus  formed  with  "  the  rich  lady,'' at  whose  house  she 
had  to  deliver  her  laces,  she  learned  who  she  was,  and  it 
was  easy  in  New  York  then  for  such  a  woman  to  learn  all 


IX    MODERN  8PIBITTTALI8M.  279 

about  her.  It  will  be  seen  below  that  the  consequences 
were  Berious  for  my  poor  visitor,  "the  rich  lady/'  This 
French  lace  dealer  had  heard  about  the  "manifestations  " 
at  my  house,  and  even  knew  something  about  such  things 
iu  France,  and  in  her  visits  to  that  house,  to  me  unknown, 
as  was  equally  the  name  of  its  mistress,  she  took  on  herself 
the  character  of  a  clairvoyant  medium,  and  played  upon 
them  plenty  of  her  cunning  tricks,  such  as  pretended  en- 
trancement,  etc.,  f<>r  which  perhaps  a  door  may  have  been 
opened  through  the  genuine  experience  they  had  had  with 
me. 

My  still  anonymous  friend,  "  the,  rich  lady,"  paid  me 
afterward  another  visit,  in  which  she  still  kept  me  igno- 
rant of  who  she  was.  She  came  alone  this  time,  and  un- 
bosomed many  of  her  sorrows  to  me.  (How  many  others 
have  done  so  !  some  men,  but  chiefly  women  !)  While  she 
was  there  in  the  parlor  a  gentleman  came  in  (Dr.  Schoon- 
maker,  a  dentist,  of  12th  Street,  a  friend  of  mine,  who  I 
believe  is  still  living  and  remembers  it)  and  was  introduced 
into  the  back  room.  By  some  accident  of  the  opening  of 
the  door,  he  caught  a  glimpse  of  my  visitor  in  the  front 
room.  He  said  to  me,  "  Mrs.  Brown,  are  you  aware  who 
that  is  in  your  front  room '.  "  I  said  that  we  knew  her  as 
"  the    rich   lady,"   though    she    was    an    uneducated   one. 

'•  Have  you  never  heard  of  the  notorious '.  "  and 

he  told  me  her  name,  of  which  of  course  I  had  heard. 
"  I  am  so  sorry  you  have  told  me  this,"  I  replied  ;  ''she  has 
engaged  me  for  another  day."  "  Well,"  he  said.  "  I  am  her 
dentist :  and  she  was  in  my  chair  a  good  part  of  yesterday. 
Her  fee  is  as  good  as  anybody's;  your  advertisements 
open  the  door  to  all  investigators,  and  you  have  no  right 
to  refuse  her  so  long  as  she  behaves  herself."  "  She  has 
certainly  acted  like  a  lady  thus  far  with  me,"  I  could  not 
but  answer. 


280  THE  MISSING   LINK 

Between  then  and  her  next  engagement  with  nie  (which 
was  her  fourth  visit  to  my  house),  the  lace  woman  had 
played  her  fraudulent  cards  upon  her.  She  had  palmed 
off  upon  her  a  fraudulent  trance  and  Spiritualism,  and  had 
prepared  her  for  the  coming  of  a  handsome  young  French 
officer,  with  et  cetera,  et  cetera  of  a  story.  The  upshot  was 
that  this  young  man  was  the  lace  woman's  son,  and  an  ad- 
venturer of  whom  the  rich  lady  was  made  a  prey.  He  pre- 
tended honorable  love  and  marriage,  at  which  a  sinful  but 
repentant  soul  clutched  readily.  She  married  him,  and 
paid  me  a  farewell  visit  on  her  departure. 

She  said,  "  You  little  know  the  good  you  have  done  to 
me ;  "  and  she  threw  on  my  neck  a  gold  chain  and  hand- 
some cross.  She  kissed  my  hand  and  left  it  wet  with  tears. 
"  Oh,  it  won't  hurt  you,"  she  said,  "  if  I  kiss  your  hand, 
though  I  am  much  worse  than  you  think  me — or  at  least 
have  been." 

My  good  friend,  Professor  Mapes,  was  present  at  this, 
and  public  repute  had  made  him  know  all  about  her. 
After  she  had  gone  he  said  to  me,  "  You  have  done  that 
poor  woman  more  good  than  all  the  preachers  of  New  York 
could  ever  have  done.  You  have  reformed  one  of  the 
vilest  of  women." 

I  afterward  heard  that  her  handsome  adventurer-hus- 
band spent  or  got  away  from  her  all  her  money,  and  ab- 
sconded, abandoning  her ;  and  that  she  died  destitute  and 
forlorn  in  a  hospital  in  Paris.  I  could  tell  more  tales  than 
this  of  women  who  have  passed  through  my  hands,  or 
rather  those  of  the  Spirits,  between  whom  and  them  I 
have  humbly  served  as  a  medium. 

1  have  thus  far  carried  my  narrative  down  to  the  time 
at  which  my  public  mediumship  closed  with  my  marriage 
in  1858.  Of  the  five  years  spent  in  New  York,  I  have 
spoken  only  in  the  general  manner  of  the  present  chapter, 


IN  MODERN   SPIRITUALISE.  2S1 

though  were  I  to  enter  upon  the  field  of  particulars  I 
should  have  to  weary  the  reader's  patience  with  a  second 
volume.  I  will  only  relate  two  episodes  of  that  interesting 
period:  the  phosphorus  affair,  and  the  affair  of  the  Har- 
vard professors,  for  reasons  which  will  be  apparent.  But 
I  must  give  them  each  a  chapter  to  itself. 


282  tiik  missing   link 


CHAPTER    XX. 
PHOSPHORUS. 

Spirit  Ltouts  Visible  at  Dark  Seances — Private  Circle  in  Jer- 
sey City  in  1857 — Solid  Granules  of  Phosphorus  Appearing 
in  Earth  which  I  had  Touched— Sorprising  and  Distressing 
Letter — The  Good  Spirits  and  Daniel  Underbill  to  the 
Rescue — Benjamin  Franklin— Marriage  to  D.  Underbill,  * 
„  November  2,  1858,  and  Close  of  My  Public  Mediumship — 
Analogous  Phenomena  in  Private  at  Home. 

I  will  here  relate  from  my  experiences  a  curious  and,  so 
far  as  I  know,  novel  chapter  in  the  records  of  Modern 
Spiritualism,  namely,  the  production  of  solid  granulated 
2)hosjyhorus  by  Spirits. 

It  will  be  seen  that  that  phenomenon  actually  occurred 
through  my  mediumship,  though  under  circumstances  and 
appearances  highly  suggestive  (to  our  enemies)  of  trickery 
on  my  part,  and  such  as  naturally  to  awaken  uneasiness  in 
the  minds  of  friends  whom  long  experience  with  me  should 
have  made,  and  had  made,  suspicion-proof  in  regard  to  me 
and  my  Spirit  guides ;  and  that  for  nearly  nine  months  I 
was  made  very  unhappy  for  the  want  of  confirmatory  evi- 
dence as  to  the  real  objective  genuineness  of  the  phenom- 
enon sufficient  to  silence  cavil  and  compel  conviction.  My 
unhappiness  proceeded  from  the  consciousness  that  some 
friends  had  doubted  more  or  less  (though  never  going  the 
length  of  signifying  doubt  to  myself),  while  I  could  not 
know  w/iOj  nor  how  far  doubt  had  taken  distinct  shape  in 
their  minds.  To  a  person  of  my  temperament  and  tem- 
per, however  sustained  by  pride  and  conscious  innocence, 


IN  MODERN  BPIRITUALISJff.  283 

I  cannot  easily  conceive  a  mure  painful  situation.  But 
thank  God  (and  the  good  Spirits  who  have  never  failed 
me  in  the  long  run),  this  invisible  cloiul  which  for  months 
chilled  the  atmosphere  of  my  life,  as  a  distressful  some- 
thing keenly  felt  though  not  to  be  seen,  cleared  off  like 
the  evaporation  of  dew  from  the  surface  of  a  mirror,  as 
will  be  seen  below. 

We  never  g&vepublic  seances  in  darkened  rooms.  I  do 
not  approve  of  the  practice.  Many  forms  of  manifesta- 
tions thus  obtained  are  calculated  to  prejudice  the  investi- 
gator and  excite  suspicion  of  the  medium.  I  love  to  sit 
with  a  few  friends,  who  are  prepared  to  witness  manifesta- 
tions, whether  in  light  or  dark,  and  who  have  had  suf- 
ficient evidence  to  understand  the  conditions  necessary  to 
enable  Spirits  to  manifest  themselves  in  form.  On  such 
occasions  there  should  not  be  more  than  six  or  seven  per- 
sons in  the  circle,  and  they  should  all  be  harmonious,  and 
sit  together  around  a  table;  placing  their  hands  in  such  a 
manner  that  if  any  one  shall  stir,  or  change  position,  it 
must  be  at  once  discovered. 

When  Spirits  appear,  they  come  surrounded  with,  or 
luminous  by,  their  own  light.  I  seldom  sat  in  a  darkened 
room  without  seeing  lights,  which  were  also  visible  to  the 
company. 

J  never  used  anything  to  conceal,  or  afford  the  Spirits 
a  hiding  place  for  anything.  I  was  never  directed  to  do 
so.  We  (all  persons  present)  have  been  told  to  sit  in  the 
dark  and  rub  the  palms  of  our  hands  together;  when,  im- 
mediately on  that  being  done,  sparks  of  light  would  appear. 
(I  can  frequently  produce  such  lights — or,  rather,  they 
come  of  themselves — when  entirely  alone.)  I  suppose  they 
are  Kectrical  or  phosphorescent  ;  but  there  are  different 
lights.  Ar  times  they  vary  in  form,  color,  and  intensity. 
Sometimes  they  will  be  of  the  size  of  a  spark  ;  sometimes 


284  THE   MISSING  LINK 

of  that  of  a  hand,  or  larger  ;  sometimes  flitting  or  flicker- 
ing abont;  sometimes — especially  when  a  Spirit  is  com- 
municating with  you  by  touches,  or  caresses,  or  otherwise 
— fixed  in  front  of  your  face,  like  a  person  looking  into 
your  eyes;  sometimes  a  vague,  luminous  cloudiness,  sug- 
gestive of  a  form  or  not,  as  the  case  may  be.  Mr.  Robert 
Dale  Owen  took  every  precaution  to  lock  and  seal  the 
doors;  not  that  he  doubted  us,  but  because  he  was  writing 
a  book  for  the  sceptical  world  to  read,  and  in  his  honesty 
of  purpose  he  determined  to  be  "sure."  lie  was  right. 
His  two  books,  the  "  Footfalls  "  and  the  "  Debatable  Land," 
can  never  lose  their  interest  and  value  to  the  student  of 
Spiritualism. 

Frequently,  while  sitting  with  select  friends  in  dark  cir- 
cles, lights  would  appear  in  different  parts  of  the  room ; 
sometimes  quite  numerous.  These  sights  were  no  new 
thing  to  us,  but  very  astonishing  to  those  who  had  never 
before  witnessed  such  manifestations.  In  order  to  con- 
vince such,  the  Spirits  would  direct  them  to  examine  the 
room  and  everything  in  it ;  lock  the  doors,  join  hands 
and  quietly  wait  for  manifestations.  We  were  sometimes 
directed  to  sing,  but  not  to  ask  questions,  nor  to  make  any 
exclamations  of  wonder,  or  expressions  of  opinion,  until  the 
manifestations  had  ceased.  Such  directions  must  be  com- 
plied with,  if  we  would  win  good  success.* 


*  The  frequency  of  the  appearance  of  lights,  or  luminous  appearances, 
at  seances,  is  suggestive  of  the  idea  that  Spirits  often  employ,  in  their 
manifestations,  phosphorus  in  some  form  or  condition — phosphorus 
prohably  drawn  from  the  atmosphere,  or  from  the  brains  of  the  me- 
dium or  sitters,  or  both,  through  their  higher  knowledge  of  thf?  secrets 
and  resources  of  the  chemistry  of  nature.  That  they  should  know  also 
how  to  make  it  inodorous  is  easily  conceivable.  I  have  never  perceived 
(though  in  this  the  author  of  "  The  Missing  Link  "  thinks  she  has  some- 
times done  so)  any  of  the  phosphoric  odor  as  accompanying  those 
exhibitions  of  Spirit  lights,  though  sometimes  the  entire  forms  of  Spirits 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  285 

I  met  a  large  private  circle  in  Jersey  City,  for  a  long 
time,  once  a  week.  Many  of  the  members  of  this  parry 
had  met  at  my  seances  for  years;  bat,  as  they  could  not 
all  come  to  New  York,  I  went  to  their  different  houses 
across  the  river  to  accommodate  them.  This  party  insisted 
on  sitting  in  darkened  rooms.  Some  of  them  had  wit- 
nessed remarkable  manifestations  in  onr  most  private 
seances.  George  Willets  and  wife  were  members  of  this 
circle,  and  they  desired  to  have  others  see  a  little  of  the 
wonderful  manifestations  which  they  had  so  often  wit- 
nessed. 

I  consented  to  do  so,  but  the  Spirits  expressly  directed 
them  not  to  attempt  snch  an  undertaking  in  a  party  so 
little  calculated  to  follow  implicitly  the  directions  requisite 
to  accomplish  the  results  sought.  We  had  learned,  by  re- 
appear as  what  I  may  call  phospliorically  luminous.  That  human  brains 
are,  to  some  extent  at  least,  natural  reservoirs,  from  which  they  draw 
or  elaborate  some  basis  of  phosphorus,  seems  probable  enough— or  at 
hast  should  be  so  to  those  philosophers  who  strive  to  approximate  phos- 
phorus to  thought,  and  bid  us  eat  phosphoric  food  to  stimulate  our  wits, 
and  fancy  they  catch  a  gleam  of  it  in  the  brightening  of  the  eye.  It  is 
reliably  recorded  that  at  the  famous  seances  of  Count  de  Bullet,  at  which 
the  controlling  Spirit  is  known  by  the  conventional  name  of  "John 
King,"  he  constantly  appeared  holding  what  seemed  a  round,  white, 
luminous  stone,  whose  light  would  gradually  fade  out  after  a  while,  till 
almost  invisible,  when  he  would  either  withdraw  for  a  moment  or  two 
into  the  cabinet,  where  the  medium  was  asleep  in  trance,  and  return 
with  his  lamp  re-illumined,  or  else  apply  the  stone,  called  his  '  lamp,'  to 
the  forehead  of  the  Count  de  Bullet,  when  the  light  would  be  seen  to 
rapidly  resume  its  full  brightness.  The  first  effect  of  such  application 
to  the  forehead,  was  that  dark  doud*  of  wreathing  smoke  would  seem  to 
enter  into  the  stone  from  the  forehead,  soon  to  pass  into  pervading  light  ; 
strong  in  close  proximity,  but,  like  phosphoric  light,  not  radiating  to 
much  distance.  Thai  the  Spirits  should  be  able  to  elaborate  the  cerebral, 
or  atmospheric,  or  terrestrial  phosphorus  into  the  condition  of  solid  par- 
tirli's  of  granulated  phosphorus,  is  not  difficult  t<>  conceive,  but  I  do  not 
know  of  any  other  instance  of  their  having  actually  done  it,  under  hu- 
man observation,  than  that  now  related  by  Mrs.  Underbill. — Ed. 


286  THE  MISSING    LINK 

peated  observations,  that  Spirits  could,  under  certain  con- 
ditions, when  we  were  all  in  bed  and  no  person  stirring  in 
the  room  to  disturb  the  forces  through  which  they  operati  , 
disclose  mysteries  which  hitherto  were  unknown  in  this 
age  of  the  world.  After  much  persuasion,  I  decided  to  sil 
for  such  manifestations. 

The  directions  were  given  by  the  Spirits,  and  all  were 
anxious  to  see  and  know  these  facts  through  their  own  per- 
ceptions ;  as  it  is  difficult  to  "  realize"  some  things  on  the 
representations  of  others,  however  worthy  of  our  confi- 
dence and  however  possessing  it. 

Our  iirst  sitting  proved  satisfactory,  so  far  as  it  went; 
but  the  party  were  directed  to  be  more  quiet  and  not  have 
more  persons  present  than  could  be  accommodated  con- 
veniently. 

The  second  attempt  was  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Simeon  S. 
Post,  and  was  successful  until  they  became  greatly  excited, 
and  the  directions  were  not  followed ;  inasmuch  as  there 
were  too  many  persons  present  who  were  entirely  ignorant 
of  the  rules  by  which  we  were  controlled  ;  and  although 
they  were  permitted  to  make  the  closest  scrutiny  of  the 
whole  previous  arrangements,  in  order  to  keep  the  forces 
undisturbed  during  their  (the  Spirits')  operations,  they 
(the  investigators)  could  not  or  would  not,  for  want  of 
common  sense,  perhaps,  follow  all  the  directions. 

This  being  the  case,  in  order  to  gratify  those  who  were 
prepared  and  blest  with  good  sense,  a  part  of  the  company 
were  directed  to  go  with  me  into  the  adjoining  room  (a 
bath-room).  While  there  the  lights  appeared,  very  brig] it 
—  almost  blazing  at  times.  I  was  faint  and  my  hands 
seemed  burning.  I  naturally  ran  to  the  faucet  to  let  the 
cold  water  run  on  them,  which  greatly  relieved  the  burning- 
sensation.  But  the  floating,  moving  lights  continued,  and 
being  near  the  door,  the  lady  of  the  house  went  out  into 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  287 

the  yard  with  me,  where  I  instinctively  plunged  my  hands 

into  the  damp  earth  (it  had  been  raining). 

The  next  evening  Mrs.  Post  saw  lights  where  my  hands 

had  been,  and  found  in  the  ground  several  particles  of  solid 
phosphorus,  being  guided  to  the  spot  by  seeing  the  phos- 
phoric smoke  rising  through  the  ground,  as  well  as  by  the 
luminosity  of  the  Bpot.  They  (my  friends)  could  not  com- 
prehend this  mystery.  They  talked  over  the  matter  be- 
tween themselves,  and  my  friend  Mr.  "Willets  wrote  me  a 
letter,  which  I  will  here  give. 

"  No.  6,  PAVONTA  Pl.vce,         ) 
Jersey  City,  November  24,  1857.  J 

"  Dear  Mrs.  Bkowx  : 

"  The  members  of  the  circle  are  expecting  me  to  see  you 
and  have  a  talk  with  you  respecting  the  manifestations  of 
lights  at  Mr.  Simeon  Post's  house  last  week.  I  argued 
that  the  Spirits  could  produce  phosphorus  (in  my  opinion, 
accumulated  from  the  atmosphere  and  medium  forces  of 
the  circle  combined).  Mr.  Post  had  not  the  least  suspicion 
of  anything  wrong,  but  could  not  account  for  the  lights 
appearing  where  your  hands  had  been.  I  have  stood  by 
you  always,  and  in  this  case  have  done  so,  saying  that  I 
know  that  you  would  not  deceive  any  one.  Can  you  ex- 
plain this  matter  so  that  it  will  be  satisfactory  to  the  circle  '. 
You  will  not  think  hard  of  me  for  bringing  this  to  your 
notice,  and  believe  me  to  be  your  sincere  friend, 

"  George  WrLLETS." 

This  letter  of  course  implied  that  I  might  have  had — 
what  had  of  course  no  foundation  in  fact — phosphorus  on 
my  fingers.  Nor  could  I  have  much  blamed  any  in  whose 
mind  such  a  thought  might  have  arisen,  however  painful 
to  me,  or  however  unjust  the  suspicion. 


288  THE   MISSING   LINK 


Mr.  Underbill  had  accompanied  me  to  Jersey  City.  He 
was  a  friend  of  Mr.  Post's,  who  had  invited  him  to  join 
the  circle.  It  was  convenient  for  him  to  call  for  me,  as  it 
was  on  his  way.  I  did  not  know  that  any  one  doubted 
the  genuineness  of  the  manifestations  at  Mr.  Post's,  and 
judge  of  my  painful  astonishment  when  I  read  Mr.  AVillet's 
letter.  I  knew  I  was  innocent,  but  did  not  know  that  I 
could  so  prove  myself.  I  prayed  to  the  Most  High  to  re- 
lieve me  from  this  terrible  imputation.  Mr.  Underbill 
felt  sure  of  my  innocence.  In  his  own  purity  of  heart  be 
could  not  doubt  me.  His  sister  had  become  a  medium, 
and  spoke  in  unknown  tongues.  And  his  mother  could 
move  tables  by  placing  her  hands  upon  them.  She  is  still 
with  us,  in  full  possession  of  her  faculties. 

"  None  know  her,  but  to  love  her, 
None  name  her,  but  to  praise." 

Mr.  Underbill  came  to  my  rescue  in  that  dark  hour  of 
my  life,  when  old  and  trusted  friends  wavered  in  opinion. 

If  this  volume  were  to  be  limited  in  its  circulation  to 
New  York  City,  where  Mr.  Underbill  is  conspicuously, 
while  modestly,  known  in  the  business  world  through  a 
Jong  series  of  years,  as  President  of  one  of  its  oldest  and 
most  solid  Fire  Insurance  companies,  it  would  not  be 
necessary  to  say  a  word,  about  his  character  for  honor  and 
veracity.  It  best  becomes  me  to  abstain  from  doing  so, 
leaving  to  strangers  to  him  to  satisfy  themselves  by  easy 
inquiries. 

He  accompanied  me  to  Jersey  City,  and  how  many 
others  (if  any)  shared  his  generous  confidence  I  could  not 
know,  as  none  had  the  rudeness  or  nukindness  to  manifest 
their  doubts  to  me.  His  faith  in  my  integrity  strengthened 
and  enabled  me  to  stand  the  ordeal.  I  leave  it  to  him  to 
relate  the  rest  of  the  story. 


IN   MODERN  SPIRITUALISM.  289 

STATEMENT    OF   DANIEL    UNDEKHILL. 

"  On  Sunday  evening,  at  Mrs.  Brown's,  soon  after  the 
receipt  of  Mr.  George  Willets'  letter,  there  were  present 
Dr.  Wilson,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Oliver  Johnson,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Cleveland,  Mrs.  Brown,  and  myself.  Some  of  her  most 
intimate  friends  frequently  dropped  in  on  Sunday  evenings 
to  enjoy  a  social  cup  of  tea,  and  an  hour  or  so  in  pleasant 
conversation. 

"On  this  occasion  it  was  announced  by  the  '  invisibles' 
that  on  Tuesday  evening  next  an  investigating  seance,  fo* 
phosphorescent  phenomena,  should  be  held  ;  and  the  fol- 
lowing persons  were  chosen  by  the  Spirits  to  attend, 
namely,  Dr.  A.  D.  Wilson,  Henry  Sheldon,  Oliver  John- 
son, Mrs.  Johnson,  J.  F.  Cleveland,  Mrs.  Cleveland,  Julian 
G.  Davies,  Mr.  Downer,  Mr.  Beadle,  Leah  (Mrs.)  Brown, 
Katie  Fox,  Daniel  Underbill,  Dr.  Kirby,  'if  he  wishes.' 

"  The  parties  not  present  at  the  time  were  notified  and 
invited  to  attend. 

"  Mr.  Sheldon  was  requested  to  procure  some  earth, 
which  he  did  from  under  Brooklyn  Heights,  and  brought 
it  with  him  in  a  cigar-box  wrapped  in  paper. 

"  When  the  parties  were  seated  at  the  table,  in  general 
conversation,  directions  were  given  by  the  Spirits. 

"  Mr.  Sheldon  was  requested  to  unwrap  the  box  of  fresh 
Brooklyn  earth  and  place  it  on  the  centre  of  the  table,  and 
darken  the  room.     The  box  was  placed  as  directed. 

"After  the  room  was  darkened,  the  box  was  moved  by 
the  '  Spirits '  nearer  to  Mrs.  B.,  who  then  placed  her  fin- 
gers in  the  earth.  Her  fingers  soon  became  luminous,  bo 
that  her  hands  were  visible  to  the  whole  circle.  When 
she  removed  her  hands  the  light  was  turned  on.  Dr.  Wil- 
son took  the  box,  and  with  his  knife  dug  out  a  quantity  of 
granulated  phosphorus.     In  doing  so.,  some  of  the  granules 


200  THE    KISSING    LINK 

had  not  sufficiently  hardened,  and  separated  on  the  table. 
The  doctor,  in  endeavoring  to  pick  them  up,  burnt  his  fin- 
gers quite  badly." 

And  again,  July  31,  1S5S : 

"On  this  evening  I  called  on  Mrs.  Brown  (at  No.  1 
Ludlow  Place),  who  stated  to  me  that  she  had  all  day  been 
impressed  that  if  she  should  have  a  sitting  with  a  few 
friends  that  evening,  she  would  have  manifestations  of  a 
character  to  explain  the  mystery  of  the  occurrence  at  Mr. 
S.  S.  Post's,  Jersey  City  (where  I  had  attended  a  private 
seance  with  her  between  seven  and  eight  months  pre- 
viously). 

"""On  this  occasion  there  were  present  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Oli- 
ver Johnson,  Miss  Knight,  Mr.  Kedzie  (of  Rochester),  Mrs. 
Brown,  and  myself.  We  retired  to  the  back  parlor,  closing 
the  doors  and  windows  in  order  to  make  the  room  quite 
dark.  Mr.  Kedzie  procured  a  bowl  of  earth  and  water,  as 
directed  (by  the  Spirits),  and  placed  it  on  the  table  around 
which  we  were  seated.  While  we  were  engaged  in  general 
conversation  and  singing,  lights  were  seen  floating  about 
the  room,  at  times  immediately  over  the  centre  of  the  cir- 
cle. Mrs.  Brown  placed  her  fingers  in  the  bowl,  from 
which  arose  a  light,  or  vapor,  which  so  illuminated  the  room 
as  to  make  her  hands  visible  to  all  around  the  table. 

"  Bright  phosphoric  lights  were  also  seen  in  the  earth. 
On  examination,  we  found  deposited  several  granules  of 
pure  phosphorus,  which  we  collected  and  preserved. 

"  On  the  following  evening  Mrs.  B.  informed  me  that 
she  wanted  to  go  to  Jersey  City,  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Post ; 
that  if  she  did  so,  the  same  manifestations  would  occur  in 
the  presence  of  his  family  ;  and  she  desired  me,  if  I  saw 
Mi".  Post,  to  inform  him  of  her  wish  to  do  SO,  in  order  to 
satisfy  them  that  what  had  occurred  there,  in  the  com- 
mencement of  the  dark  sittings,  nearjy  eight  months  pre- 


IX   MODERN  SPIRITUALISM.  291 

viously,  was  entirely  beyond  any  control  or  agency  of 
hers ;  but  she  desired  that  no  one  should  be  present  except 
Mr.  Post's  immediate  family. 

"On  Wednesday  morning  following  (August  4th)  Mr. 
Post  called  at  my  office.  When  I  informed  him  of  Mrs. 
Brown's  wishes,  he  expressed  much  pleasure,  and  a  strong 
desire  that  it  should  be  so  tested.  He  wished  that  it  might 
be  during  the  current  week,  if  possible,  as  he  expected  to 
leave  home  the  first  of  the  week  following,  to  be  absent 
fur  several  months.  I  informed  Mrs.  B.  that  evening  of 
my  interview  with  Mr.  Post,  when  she  appointed  Satur- 
day evening,  and  desired  me  to  inform  Mr.  Post  of  the 
fact,  as  he  would  call  on  me  the  following  day. 

"Mrs.  Brown  called  at  my  office  about  11.30  a.m.,  and 
informed  me  that  she  had  been  directed  by  the  Spirits  to 
have  Mr.  John  Hilton  present. 

'•1  accompanied  Mrs.  B.  to  the  home  of  Mr.  Post,  at 
245  South  Sixth  Street,  Jersey  City,  on  the  evening  ap- 
pointed. We  arrived  there  about  eight  o'clock  p.m.  They 
were  requested  to  make  a  thorough  examination,  in  order 
to  satisfy  themselves  that  neither  Mrs.  B.  nor  myself  had 
any  phosphorus  about  us.  Mrs.  B.  retired  to  a  private 
room  with  the  ladies,  who  disrobed  her  of  every  article  of 
clothing,  and  furnished  her  with  an  entire  outfit  from  their 
own  wardrobe.  After  this  they  dressed  and  reconducted 
her  to  the  room  in  which  the  seance  was  held. 

"In  the  mean  time  the  gentlemen  satisfied  themselves 
that  there  was  no  phosphorus   about  my  person.     We  a.— 
Bembled  in  the  front  room  up-stairs.     There  were  presenl 
Mi-.  Post,  Mrs.  Post,  a  daughter  and  two  sons,  Mr.  Po 
Bister,  Mr.  Hilton,  Mrs.  Brown,  and  myself. 

••  After  taking  Beats  at  the  table,  they  were  directed  to 
close  and  lock  all  the  doors  and  windows.  They  were  also 
directed  to  get  a    bowl    of    water   and   bring  in  the   box  of 


292  THE   MISSING   LINK 

earth,  which  had  been  procured  by  Messrs.  Post  and  Hil- 
ton during  the  day  and  sealed  up  by  thern. 

"  After  sitting  a  few  moments  they  Mere  directed  to 
'  break  the  seal '  (which  was  done  by  Mr.  Simeon  Post). 
The  box  was  placed  in  front  of  the  medium.  He  was  then 
directed  by  the  Spirits  to  'put  out  the  light/ which  was 
done.  In  a  few  moments  they  discovered  a  phosphores- 
ce; it  light,  emanating  from  the  ends  of  Mrs.  Brown's  fin- 
gers. Indeed,  there  seemed  to  be  a  vaporous  exhalation 
from  her  entire  person  ;  and  after  her  fingers  had  rested 
on  the  earth  a  short  time,  a  visible  fluid  gradually  concen- 
trated around  Mrs.  Brown's  hands,  and  deposited  itself 
from  the  extremities  of  her  fingers  into  the  earth. 

"  This  performance  lasted  about  fifteen  minutes.  The 
box  was  examined,  and  Mr.  Post  procured  from  the  earth 
it  contained  several  quite  large  granules  of  phosphorus,  the 
purity  of  which  was  beyond  question,  and  which  he  pre- 
served, and  caused  to  be  chemically  examined  and  tested. 

"Mrs.  B.  was  then  taken  in  charge  by  the  ladies,  and  re- 
conducted to  the  dressing-room,  clothed  in  her  own  attire, 
and  returned  to  the  sitting-room.  There  was  a  wish  ex- 
pressed, on  the  part  of  all  present,  to  get  communications 
from  their  '  Spirit  friends  ; '  and,  although  there  seemed 
to  be  a  perfect  willingness  on  the  part  of  the  medium,  the 
controlling  Spirits  deemed  it  advisable  that  there  should 
be  no  further  manifestations  on  that  night,  and  said, 
through  raps,  '  It  would  be  wrong  to  permit  different 
classes  of  Spirits  to  manifest  under  existing  circumstances. 
1  will  bring  about  another  meeting  soon. 

'Benjamin  Franklin.'" 

Mr.  Underbill  and  I  were  married  on  the  second  day 
of  November,  1858,  at  No.  35  Nineteenth  Street,  New 
York  City.     My  father  had  taken  the  house  of  Mr.  Horace 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALS  M.  293 

Greeley,  who  made  it  his  home  with  my  parents  when  he 
was  in  the  city.  We  were  married  by  the  Rev.  John  Pier- 
pont.  Mr.  U.  purchased  the  house  we  now  live  in,  and 
we  moved  into  it  immediately  on  our  return  from  a  west- 
ern excursion.  It  was  agreed  upon  that  his  friends  should 
he  mine,  and  my  friends  should  be  his,  but  that  I  should 
never  again  sit  in  public  circles. 

He  thought  I  had  done  my  duty  faithfully,  and  that  it 
was  time  for  me  to  retire  from  public  seances.  The  an- 
nouncement fell  like  a  thunderbolt  upon  nearly  all  of  my 
investigators.  Many  argued  that  it  was  a  duty  I  owed  to 
the  public,  and  to  my  God,  to  continue  to  labor  in  the 
cause  of  Spiritualism  ;  that  I  had  been  chosen,  by  higher 
authorities,  to  do  a  work  that  rested  on  me  and  my  family. 
Some  of  my  friends  thought  differently,  and  as  they  knew 
the  man  who  had  so  generously  acquitted  me  of  all  blame 
or  suspicion,  and  who  so  nobly  sustained  me  through  the 
difficulties  with  which  I  was  destined  to  contend,  my  true 
friends  congratulated  me  and  rejoiced  at  my  good  fortune. 

ANOTHER    STATEMENT   FROM   D.  TNDERHILL. 

"Sunday  Night,  August  1,  1859. 

"  We  retired  about  •  eleven  o'clock.  I  had  locked  the 
door  opening  from  the  hall  into  the  front  room,  also  the 
door  leading  from  the  same  hall  into  the  bath-room.  The 
door  leading  from  the  hall  to  the  bed-room  was  locked  on 
the  inside  by  Leah  ;  but  after  retiring  she  was  in  doubt  as 
to  whether  she  had  locked  it  ;  whereupon  I  arose  and 
went  to  the  door,  tried  the  lock,  and  found  it  fast.  I  then 
returned  to  bed.  In  a  few  moments  we  were  startled  by 
tin-  springing  of  the  bolt  of  the  lock  of  that  door.  Leah 
exclaimed,  'What's  that?'  I  replied.  'It's  nothing  but 
the  springing  of  the  bolt  of  the  lock ; '  supposing  that 


2  I  I  THE   MISSING   LINK 

when  I  turned  the  knob  the  bolt  had  failed  to  spring  into 

its  proper  place.  '  No,'  she  said,  *  it  is  Something  mure 
than  that/  Very  soon  we  heard  sounds,  as  if  Spirits  were 
on  their  knees  on  the  floor  patting  the  carpet  with  their 
hands.  I  commenced  asking  questions,  and  received  re- 
sponses by  the  same  sounds. 

"It  was  soon  evident  that  one  or  more  Spirits  were 
aronnd  our  bed.  My  questions  were  answered  by  a  hand 
patting  me  on  the  head.  Soon  something  was  passed  over 
our  faces,  just  touching  us,  after  which  lights  appeared 
over  us.  They  passed  to  my  side  of  the  bed,  and  a  cloth 
was  placed  upon  my  right  shoulder  and  pressed  heavily — 
at  Times  as  with  two  hands  ;  also  on  the  arm.  When  the 
pressure  left  my  arm  the  light  again  appeared  on  or  over 
us,  waving  about  us,  as  if  to  gather  force  from  the  atmo- 
sphere. During  all  this  time  hands  were  distinctly  visible 
holding  the  cloth  with  a  bright  phosphorescent  light  upon 
it.  Then  the  sheet  with  which  I  -was  covered  was  drawn 
down  and  the  cloth  was  placed  upon  my  stomach  and 
chest.  On  feeling  it  with  my  hands,  I  found  it  was  a 
coarse  towel.  Repeated  pressures  were  made  in  this  way 
for  some  time,  after  which  there  was  an  alarm  of  fire  in 
the  neighborhood.  I  dressed  myself,  and  went  out,  re- 
turning in  about  half  an  hour.  On  my  return  I  again  locked 
the  door  and  extinguished  the  light,  and  went  to  bed. 

"  My  attention  was  attracted  to  a  bright  light  on  the 
floor,  when,  at  the  same  time,  Leah  noticed  a  bright, 
flashing*  light,  rising  from  the  mantel,  and  showing  the 
picture  over  it  distinctly.  She  called  my  attention  to  it. 
The  foot-board  of  the  bedstead  obstructed  my  view,  but  on 
rising  1  noticed  several  lights,  also  one  which  appeared 
above  the  mantel.  I  arose  and  went  to  satisfy  myself 
that  there  were  no  matches  lying  around,  when,  reaching 
the  spot,  I  found  the  light  was  very  brilliant,  and  emitted 


IX    MODERN  SPIRITUALISM.  29o 

a  strong  phosphorescent  vapor.  Placing  my  hand  upon 
one  of  the  lights,  I  found  it  to  be  a  small  granule  of  phos- 
phorus, comparing  exactly  with  those  which  we  had  be- 
fore found  deposited  in  the  earth.  Several  of  these  gran- 
ules were  lying  near  by,  and  also  in  the  candelabrum  on 
the  end  of  the  mantel-piece. 

"  As  I  was  about  to  resume  my  place  in  bed,  the  alpha- 
bet was  called  for,  and  the  Spirit  spelled  out,  '  Look  in 
the  fire-place.'  On  looking  I  discovered  a  number  of 
pieces  or  granules  of  phosphorus  on  the  bricks  inside  of 
the  tire-place,  which  was  closed  tightly  with  a  screen  or 
summer-piece.  The  Spirits  said  they  had  placed  them 
there  to  avoid  damage  or  danger,  as  my  getting  up  and 
going  out  had  disturbed  the  forces  too  suddenly. 

"  A  few  evenings  afterward,  there  were  again  manifes- 
tations of  phosphorus,  which  were  so  strong  that  I  was 
fearful  they  might  set  fire  to  the  bed,  and  as  a  matter  of 
precaution,  I  procured  a  pail  of  water  and  placed  it  beside 
the  bed.  It  was  then  spelled,  'Keep  passive,  and  there 
will  be  no  danger.'  I  was  then  directed  to  place  paper 
and  pencil  under  the  bed,  which  I  did,  and  very  soon  we 
heard  the  scratching  of  the  pencil  on  the  paper,  which 
was  badly  scorched,  and  a  third  part  of  it  burned  ;  but 
the  writing  was  plainly  visible.  The  paper  was  lost,  and 
I  do  not  now  remember  the  communication  written  upon 
it.  The  Spirits  said,  however,  that  the  scorching  of  the 
paper  was  caused  by  the  forces  being  too  strung." 

"  Saturday  Night,  July  :J1,  18o9. 

"About  ten  o'clock  p.m.  Leah  and  myself  were  in  the 
second  story.  I  was  sitting  by  the  front  window,  leaning 
my  hand  against  the  casement,  dozing.  Leah  had  passed 
into  the  back  room,  and  was  returning  to  the  front  room, 
when  the  was  startled  by  heavy  tramping,  apparently  close 


206  THE   MISSING   LINK 

behind  her.  The  sound  was  similar  to  that  of  a  person 
walking  in  wooden  shoes.  She  called  to  me.  I  slarted, 
and  met  her  in  the  middle  room.  When  Leah  stopped 
walking  the  footsteps  ceased,  but  as  soon  as  she  commenced 
again  the  same  heavy  steps  kept  pace  with  her.  AVe 
passed  into  the  front  room,  where  she  called  me  to  try  a 
test.  She  sat  down  in  a  high  chair,  and  I  seated  myself 
on  the  floor,  in  front  of  her,  taking  her  feet  on  my  knees. 
Very  soon  the  same  sounds  were  produced  on  the  floor 
beside  her  chair ;  showing  very  clearly  that  the  sounds 
were  produced  independently  of  her,  not  even  causing  any 
nervous  start  or  electric  motion  on  her  part. 

"  D.  Underbill." 


IN    MODERN    SPIRITUALISM.  297 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

BOSTON  AND  THE  HAEYAED  PEOFESSOES,  1857. 

Agreement  for  ak  Investigation  by  a  Committee  of  Harvard 
Professors — Expulsion  of  a  Student  from  the  Divinity 
School  for  the  Crime  of  Mediumship — Professor  Felton — 
Agassiz — Varley,  the  Electrician  of  the  Atlantic  Tele- 
graph Company. 

Ox  the  16th  day  of  June,  1857,  we  left  our  home  in  New- 
York,  at  the  earnest  solicitation  of  friends  in  Boston,  to 
attend  an  investigation  which  had  been  arranged  in  accord- 
ance with  the  following  note  : 

THE   AGREEMENT   BETWEEN   THE   PARTIES. 

ki  AYe,  the  undersigned,  hereby  agree  to  submit  the  ques- 
tion in  controversy  between  us  in  regard  to  the  phenomena 
of  Spiritualism,  so  called,  to  the  investigation  and  award 
of  the  Committee,  consisting  of  Professors  Agassiz,  Pierce, 
and  llorsford,  and  Dr.  Gould,  according  to  the  terms  of 
the  paper  annexed.  Boston  Courier, 

by  George  Lunt. 

H.  F.  Gardner. 
"Cambridge,  June  9,  1857." 

dr.  Gardner's  conditions. 

"  Meeting  to  be  held  in  a  suitable  room  in  the  city  of 
Boston,  to  continue  six  days,  or  a  longer  time  if  desirable, 
and  two  hours  each  day  to  be  devoted  to  the  investigation, 
commencing  at  4  ami  closing  at  .6  o'clock  p.m. 

"  All  the  arrangements  ana  details  for  the  forming  of  the 
circles  to  be  entirely  under  the  control  of  Dr.  Gardner,  ex- 


298  THE   MISSING   LINK 

cept  the  Committee  may  remain  <>ut  of  the  circle  so 
formed  it'  they  choose  to  do  so.  If  the  phenomena  are 
produced  under  the  arrangements  as  ordered  by  Dr.  Gard- 
ner, and  they  arc  not  satisfactory  to  the  Committee,  they 
shall  have  the  right  to  require  them  to  be  produced  under 
such  conditions  as  in  their  judgment  will  be  satisfactory  to 
them.. 

"  As  harmony  is  an  essential  condition  for  the  produc- 
tion of  the  manifestations,  it  is  agreed  that  no  loud  talking 
or  exciting  debate  or  other  unnecessary  noise  shall  be 
allowed  in  the  rooms  during  the  sessions,  and  that  each 
person  present  shall  be  treated  with  that  respect  and  cour- 
tesy which  is  due  from  each  person  to  every  other  in  the 
society  of  gentlemen. 

'1  There  may  be  present  at  each  session  the  writer  in  the 
Boston  Courier,  and  a  friend,  and  the  four  gentlemen 
composing  the  Committee  of  Investigation,  Dr.  Gardner, 
and  any  number  of  persons  not  exceeding  six  at  any  one 
time,  at  his  option,  such  being  selected  and  invited  by  Dr. 
Gardner. 

t!  The  writer  in  the  Courier,  and  the  gentlemen  com- 
posing the  Committee,  agree  that,  while  they  are  at  liberty 
to  exercise  all  the  shrewdness  and  powers  of  observation 
which  they  are  capable  during  the  investigation,  they  Mill 
not  exercise  their  will  power  to  endeavor  to  prevent  the 
manifestations,  but  allow  them  to  be  produced  under  the 
most  favorable  conditions  which  a  thorough  scientific  in- 
vestigation will  permit. 

"  The  words  '  to  be  provided  by  Dr.  Gardner'  first  being 
stricken  out,  and  the  words  'and  a  friend'  inserted,  it  is 
further  understood  that  the  proceedings  are  not  to  be  pub- 
lished until  the  investigations  are  closed. 

"Boston  Courier, 

by  George  Lunt. 
II.  F.  Gardner." 

We  questioned,  at  that  time,  the  propriety  of  leaving 
i\c\v  York  to  attend  to  this  request,  as  to  do  so  would  nec- 
essarily cause  us  to  break  our  engagements  at  home.     And, 


IX    MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  299 


as  to  the  contest  between  the  professors  of  Harvard  Col- 
,nd  the  Boston  Spiritualists,  mediums,  etc.,  we  cared 
very  little  at  that  time  whether  they  (the  professors)  should 
pronounce  for  or  against  us,  and  for  this  reason  :  that  it 
may  be  safely  averred  that  while  intelligent,  scientific 
minds,  honestly  and  studiously  devoted  to  their  legitimate 
labors  and  investigations,  have  been,  and  are,  glorious  pio- 
neers in  the  advancement  of  human  knowledge,  thi  re  are 
subjects  touching  which  scholastic  eminence  furnishes  but 
a  poor  outfit  for  special  and  honest  investigation.  But  we 
had  met  the  equals  of  these  Boston  and  Harvard  professors 
long  ere  this ;  and  here  let  me  add  we  seldom  received  en- 
lightenment through  scientific  opponents.  Many  successful 
experiments  had  been  made  by  honest,  intelligent,  and 
educated  investigators,  which  proved,  beyond  all  cavil, 
what  their  science  could  not  fathom — and  did  not  wish  to. 

It  will  be  remembered,  I  doubt  not,  that  Professor 
Eustis,  of  the  ►Scientific  School,  once  caught  the  foot  of  a 
Divinity  student  out  of  its  proper  place  under  the  table, 
and  that  the  said  professor  cried  "fraud,"  and  brought  an 
accusation  against  the  student  before  the  governing  faculty 
of  the  university,  who,  in  their  high  wisdom,  knowing  not 
what  they  did,  expelled  the  young  man  for  the  "  heinous 
crime  of  owning  an  erratic  foot." 

I  am  unable  to  state  here  at  what  time  this  occurrence 
took  place,  but  the  public  press,  at  that  time,  very  exten- 
sively condemned  the  action  of  the  collegiate  authorities  in 
that  case  ;  and,  in  doing  this,  Spiritualism  necessarily  came 
more  or  less  in  for  consideration.  Great  doubt  was  ex- 
pressed, in  the  press  editorials  of  the  day,  of  the  honesty 
of  the  professors  in  thus  expelling  the  student  without 
giving  him  an  opportunity  to  prove  his  integrity.  The 
expulsion  of  this  young  Divinity  student  was  simply  be- 
cause he  was  a  Spiritualist  and  a  medium,  and  refused  to 


300  TIIE   MISSING   LINK 

abandon  the  sacred  truth  which  lie  had  learned  and  tested 
in  his  own  person ;  and  it  was  in  the  full  spirit  of  the  old 
INTew  England  persecutions  for  honest  opinion  obnoxious 
to  dominant  authority ;  which,  fortunately,  had  no  longer 
the  power  to  hang  or  burn.  But  the  world  moves,  after 
all,  in  spite  of  such  persecutions,  to  which  history  soon  does 
the  justice  it  has  rendered  to  Galileo ;  and  the  leading 
scientific  journal  of  JSew  England,  published  at  Cambridge 
itself,  an  organ  of  the  Scientific  faculty  of  Harvard,  has 
recently  put  itself  in  the  line  of  modern  progress  in  refer- 
ence to  this  very  subject  of  Spiritualism. 

Fierce  and  rude  attacks  were  made  in  the  columns  of 
The  Boston  Courier,  oy  these  professors,  upon  mediums, 
Spiritualists,  and  all  who  had  any  faith  in  the  phenomena ; 
insinuating  at  the  time  that,  "If  mediums  believed  in 
themselves,  they  would  only  be  too  eager  to  exhibit  their 
powers  before  those  who  are  most  sceptical." 

In  reply  to  these  attacks  Dr.  Gardner  made  the  follow- 
ing proposition,  viz.,  That  a  committee  of  twelve  disinter- 
ested men  shall  be  selected  by  the  principal  editors  of  The 
Boston  Journal,  The  Boston  Courier,  and  The  Daily  Trav- 
eller, which  committee  shall  arrange  all  the  preliminaries 
of  the  discussion,  and  decide  upon  the  strength  of  the  argu- 
ments, adduced  for  and  against  the  Spiritual  origin  of  the 
various  forms  of  manifestations  of  the  present  day,  usually 
denominated  Spiritual. 

The  challenge  to  a  public  discussion  was  declined,  but  in 
lieu  of  it  the  following  statement  appeared  in  The  Courier, 
which  was  well  understood  to  have  proceeded  from  Pro- 
fessor Felton,  of  Harvard : 

"  We  will  pay  $500  to  Dr.  Gardner,  to  Mrs.  Henderson, 
to  Mrs.  Hatch,  or  to  Mr.  or  Mrs.  anybody  else  who  will 
communicate  a  single  word  imparted  to  the  'Spirits'  by 
us,  in  an  adjoining  room  ;  who  will  read  a  single  word,  in 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  301 


English,  written  inside  a  book,  or  sheet  of  paper,  folded 
in  such  a  manner  as  we  may  choose ;  who  will  answer, 
with  the  aid  of  all  the  higher  intelligences  he  or  she  can 
invoke  from  the  other  world,  three  questions — which  the 
superior  intelligences  must  be  able  to  answer,  if  what  they 
said  in  27u  Melodeon  was  true;  and  we  will  not  require 
Dr.  Gardner  or  the  mediums  to  risk  a  single  cent  on  the 
experiment.  If  one  or  all  of  them  can  do  one  of  these 
things,  the  five  hundred  dollars  shall  be  paid  on  the  spot. 
If  they  fail,  they  shall  pay  nothing ;  not  even  the  expense 
incident  to  trying  the  experiment." 

Immediately  on  receipt  of  this  challenge  from  the  pro- 
fessors, Dr.  Gardner  replied,  "Now,  Mr.  Editor,  I  accept 
the  offer,  as  I  do  also  the  distinguished  gentlemen  named 
as  the  committee,  provided  the  person  or  persons  making 
the  offer  will  agree  to  let  all  of  the  conditions  of  the  ar- 
rangement come  within  the  scope  of  those  natural  laws 
within  which  we  believe  Spirits  are  confined  in  producing 
the  manifestations  above  referred  to  ;  and  I  will  meet  the 
person  or  persons  making  the  offer  at  any  time  and  place, 
after  next  Sabbath,  which  he  or  they  may  name,  to  make 
such  arrangements  as  are  necessary  to  a  thorough  and 
scientific  test  of  this  great  subject. 

"  H.  F.  Gakdner. 

"May  27,  1857." 

The  committee  named  in  the  Courier  was  George  Lunt 
(editor  of  that  paper),  Prof.  Benjamin  Pierce,  chairman, 
Prof.  Agassiz,  Prof.  Horsford,  and  Dr.  A.  B.  Gould. 

The  place  of  meeting  was  in  the  upper  room  of  the  Al- 
bion Building,  corner  of  Tremont  and  Beacon  Streets, 
Boston. 

I  and  Katie  accepted  an  invitation  to  go  to  Boston  to 
lend  our  contribution  to  this  investigation,  with  disinter- 


302  THE   MISSING  LINK 

ested  self-sacrifice  for  the  sake  of  the  cause,  and  in  support 
of  Dr.  Gardner,  one  of  the  best  of  men  and  Spiritualists, 
who  thus  stood  forward  as  its  representative  and  champion. 
I  may  mention  that  this  was  anterior,  not  subsequent  to  the 
Phosphorus  affair  related  in  the  preceding  chapter.  There 
were  present  Miss  Kendrick,  George  A.  Redman,  J.  Y. 
Mansfield,  the  Davenport  brothers,  Katie  and  myself — 
mediums. 

The  committee  of  Spiritualists  were  Mr.  Allan  Putnam, 
Dr.  Gardner,  Major  G.  "Washington  Rains. 

At  the  first  meeting  Dr.  Gardner  expressed  his  dissatis- 
faction with  the  idea  of  a  penalty  of  $500,  or  of  any  money, 
to  "be  paid  by  the  Courier,  and  this  seemed  to  meet  unani- 
mous approval ;  so  that  no  ground  remained  for  the  position 
afterward  taken  by  the  professors,  that  they  had  to  make 
an  award,  as  stakeholders  and  judges,  of  $500  on  the  pre- 
sentation of  certain  specific  phenomena  laid  in  Prof.  Fel- 
ton's  original  (unsigned)  article  in  the  Courier,  while  the 
document  above  quoted,  of  June  9,  1857,  between  the 
Courier  and  Dr.  Gardner,  is  conclusive  to  the  effect  that 
it  was  to  be  a  general  scientific  investigation.  It  will  be 
seen  below  how  the  professors  afterward  quibbled  over 
this  point,  and  avoided  making  a  report  of  any  results,  but 
only  an  "  award  "  that  the  $500  was  not  claimable,  because 
the  specific  phenomena  originally  put  forward  by  Prof. 
Felton  had  not  been  exhibited ;  while  at  the  same  time 
promising  a  future  report,  which  report  they  never  came 
up  to  the  scratch  of  making.  It  was  generally  understood 
that  a  draft  of  a  report  had  been  proposed  by  a  portion 
of  them,  but  suppressed  because  deemed  more  "  damaging 
to  Christianity  "  than  one  favorable  to  Spiritualism.  So 
that  Harvard  lias  ever  since  remained  under  the  odium  and 
ridicule  of  never  having  made  a  report,  of  which,  in  what 
they  called  an  "award,"  it  had  recognized  that  the  duty 


IX  MODERN   BPIBITUALI8M.  303 

was  incumbent  on  the  professors,  and  which  they  had  ex- 
pressly promised  to  make.  It  was  in  vain  that  for  months 
and  years  the  Spiritualist  papers  of  Boston  clamored  for 
the  promised  report,  and  jeered  at  those  "who  evidently 
found  it  impossible  to  make  one  which  should  not  be  more 
or  less  favorable  to  Spiritualism. 

This  meeting,  to  my  mind,  was  very  unsatisfactory. 
I  was  astonished  and  disappointed  at  the  course  which  the 
professors  pursued.  Astonished  at  their  seeming  ignorance 
of  all  laws  of  order  and  harmony,  and  disappointed  to  find 
that  they  had  met,  determined  to  establish  some  appear- 
ance of  carrying  their  point,  right  or  wrong. 

They  fell  far  beneath  the  degree  of  intelligence  we  had 
met  on  so  many  former  occasions,  in  connection  with  the 
phenomenal  manifestations  associated  with  Spiritualism. 
Our  investigating  committees  had  always  heretofore  been 
chosen  with  reference  to  their  intellectual  competency  and 
honorable  character;  whose  reports  were  expected  to  en- 
lighten thousands  who  were  unable  to  make  such  experi- 
ments themselves.  But  I  am  quite  sure,  from  the  experi- 
ence I  have  had,  that  a  great  majority  of  those  highly  con- 
ceited professors,  many  of  whom  were  of  quite  ordinary 
talent,  had,  to  some  extent,  overcome  the  deficiencies  of 
nature  by  turning  their  attention  in  one  direction  of  specific 
study  only. 

( )n  all  other  subjects,  they  are  ordinary,  and  often  very 
ordinary  men.  Professor  Agassiz  conversed  with  me 
pleasantly,  and  I  was  attracted  to  him,  and  admired  him 
itly  ;  hut  I  l-in  w  he  was  wanting  in  courage,  the  cour- 
age of  being  ready  to  forfeit  or  endanger  his  great  posit 
in  Harvard  and  the  country.  I  incline  to  the  theory  pre- 
sented by  Mr.  Allan  Putnam  in  1S74-,  in  his  pamphlet 
•  Agassiz  and  Spiritualism,"  that  Agas.-iz  at  this  inves- 
tigation was  in  a  false  position,  which  gives  him  claims  to 


304  THE   MISSING  LINK 

our  indulgence.  In  his  earlier  life,  when  a  professor  in 
Switzerland,  he  had  been  thrown  under  the  mesmeric  spell 
by  the  liev.  Chauncy  Hare  Townshend,  and  at  this  investi- 
gation was  under  mysterious  conflicting  influences,  of  which 
his  better  self  was  perhaps  unconscious,  and  for  which  it 
was  not  responsible.  (See  the  pamphlet  referred  to,  pub- 
lished by  Colby  and  Rich,  Boston.) 

He  said  to  me,  "  Mrs.  Brown,  I  have  seen  the  day  I  could 
do  everything  you  do."'  I  replied  to  this,  "  Very  well, 
Professor  :  if  you  can  do  all  that  is  done  through  me,  you 
are  a  Medium,"  and  I  at  once  challenged  him,  in  friendship 
and  good-Mill,  to  take  the  stand  (in  the  presence  of  their 
committee)  with  me,  and  submit  himself  to  the  same  tests 
I  would,  adding  that  unless  he  could  do  all  that  the  Spirits 
could  do  through  me,  I  should  claim  the  victory. 

He  replied,  "  My  physical  condition  is  much  changed 
now."  I  did  not  at  that  time  know  that  he  had  formerly 
been  a  mesmeric  subject,  and  had  been  made  clairvoyant, 
and  given  positive  proof  of  his  mediumship  long  years  be- 
fore I  knew  anything  about  Spirit  rappings,  magnetism,  or 
anything  relating  to  the  subject.  He  positively  refused  to 
have  anything  to  do  further  in  connection  with  the  exami- 
nation at  that  time,  and  remained  with  me,  aside,  during 
the  investigation  going  on  at  the  time  with  others. 

Prof.  Agassiz  noticed  that  my  attention  was  somewhat 
absorbed  in  the  movements  of  Prof.  Pierce  (as  he  wan- 
dered about  so  restlessly,  and  seemed  very  much  trou- 
bled ;  I  trying  to  study  him  out),  and  said  to  me,  "Mrs. 
Brown,  what  do  you  think  of  Prof.  Pierce?"  I  replied, 
'•  If  he  were  boxed  up  in  such  a  way  that  I  could  see  noth- 
ing but  his  lower  extremities,  and  the  manner  in  which  he 
plants  his  feet  on  the  ground,  I  could  read  his  character  cor- 
rectly." He  laughed  and  said,  "  I  think  you  do  not  read 
him  favorably."    "  No,"  I  said,  "  he  is  not  an  honest  man." 


IN   MODERN    SPIRITUALISM.  305 

Prof.  Agassiz  did  not  dare  to  sit  in  a  circle  and  subject 
himself  to  the  influence  or  power  of  magnetism,  as  may  be 
seen  in  a  quotation  from  "  Facts  of  Mesmerism,"  by  Itev. 
Chauiu'v  Hare  Townshend,  an  article  written  by  himself 
and  consequently  correct,  from  which  the  following  is  ex- 
tracted : 

"  Desirous  to  know  what  to  think  of  mesmerism,  I  for 
a  long  time  sought  for  an  opportunity  of  making  some  ex- 
periments in  regard  to  it  upon  myself,  so  as  to  avoid  the 
doubts  which  might  arise  on  the  nature  of  the  sensations 
which  we  have  heard  described  by  mesmerized  persons. 
M.  Desor,  yesterday,  in  a  visit  which  he  made  to  Berne, 
invited  Mr.  Townshend,  who  had  previously  mesmerized 
him,  to  accompany  him  to  Xeufchatel  and  try  to  mesmer- 
ize me. 

"  These  gentlemen  arrived  here  with  the  evening  courier, 
and  informed  me  of  their  arrival.  At  eight  o'clock  I  went 
to  them.  We  continued  at  supper  till  half-past  nine 
o^clock,  and  about  ten  Mr.  Townshend  commenced  operat- 
ing on  me.  While  we  sat  opposite  to  each  other,  he,  in 
the  first  place,  only  took  hold  of  my  hands  and  looked  at 
me  fixedly.  I  was  firmly  resolved  to  arrive  at  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  truth,  whatever  it  might  be ;  and  therefore, 
the  moment  I  saw  him  endeavoring  to  exert  an  action 
upon  me,  I silent!;/  addressed  the  Author  of  all  things^  be- 
seeching hi ni  to  (jive  rue  the  jyower  to  resist  the  influence  ^ 
and  to  he  conscientious  in  regard  to  myself,  as  well  as  in 
regard  to  the  fads. 

"I  then  fixed  my  eyes  upon  Mr.  Townshend,  attentive 
to  whatever  passed.  I  was  in  very  suitable  circumstances  : 
the  hour  being  early,  and  one  at  which  I  was  in  the  habit 
of  studying,  was  far  from  disposing  me  to  sleep.  I  was 
sufficiently  master  of  myself  to  experience  no  emotion, 


306  THE   MISSING  LI  NX 


:iii(l  to  repress  all  flights  of  imagination,  even  if  I  had 
been  less  calm  ;  accordingly  it  was  a  long  time  before  I 
felt  any  effect  from  the  presence  of  Mr.  Townshend  oppo- 
site me.  However,  after  at  least  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  I 
felt  a  sensation  of  a  current  through  all  my  limbs,  and 
from  that  moment  my  eye-lids  grew  heavy.  I  then  saw- 
Mr.  Townshend  extend  his  hands  before  my  eyes,  as  if  he 
were  about  to  plunge  his  fingers  into  them  ;  and  then  make 
different  circular  movements  around  my  eyes,  which  caused 
my  eye-lids  to  become  still  heavier. 

"  I  had  the  idea  that  he  was  endeavoring  to  make  me 
close  my  eyes,  and  yet  it  was  not  as  if  some  one  had 
threatened  my  eyes,  and  in  the  waking  state  I  had  closed 
them  to  prevent  him.  It  was  an  irresistible  heaviness  of 
the  lids  which  compelled  me  to  shut  them,  and,  by  degrees, 
I  found  that  I  had  no  longer  the  power  of  keeping  them 
open,  but  did  not  the  less  retain  my  consciousness  of  what 
"was  going  on  around  me,  so  that  I  heard  M.  Desor  speak 
to  Mr.  Townshend,  understood  what  they  said,  and  heard 
what  questions  they  asked  me,  just  as  if  I  had  been  awake, 
but  I  had  not  the  power  of  answering.  I  endeavored  in 
vain  several  times  to  do  so,  and,  when  I  succeeded,  I 
perceived  that  I  was  passing  out  of  the  state  of  torpor  in 
which  I  had  been,  and  which  was  rather  agreeable  than 
painful. 

"  In  this  state,  I  heard  the  watchman  cry  ten  o'clock ; 
then  I  heard  it  strike  a  quarter-past ;  but  afterward  I  fell 
into  a  deeper  sleep,  although  I  never  entirely  lost  my  con- 
sciousness. It  appeared  to  me  that  Mr.  Townshend  was 
endeavoring  to  put  me  into  a  sound  sleep.  My  move- 
ments seemed  under  his  control ;  for  I  wished  several 
times  to  change  the  position  of  my  arms,  but  had  not  suf- 
ficient power  to  do  it,  or  even  really  to  will  it ;  while  I  felt 
my  head  carried  to  the  right  or  left  shoulder,  and  back- 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  307 

ward  or  forward,  without  wishing  it,  and.  indeed,  in  spite 
of  the  resistance  which  I  endeavored  to  oppose  ;  and  this 
happened  several  times. 

"  1  experienced  at  the  same  time  a  feeling  of  great 
pleasure  in  giving  way  to  the  attraction  which  dragged  me 
sometimes  to  one  side,  sometimes  to  the  other  ;  then  a 
hind  of  surprise  on  feeling  my  head  fall  into  Mr.  Town- 
shend's  hand,  who  appeared  to  me  from  that  time  to  be 
the  cause  of  the  attraction.  To  his  inquiry  if  I  were  well, 
and  what  I  felt,  I  found  I  could  not  answer,  but  I  smiled  ; 
I  felt  that  my  features  expanded  in  spite  of  my  resistance. 
I  was  inwardly  confused  at  experiencing  pleasureyfaww  an 
infirm  nee  which  was  mysterious  to  me.  From  this  moment 
I  wished  to  wake,  ami  was  less  at  my  ease;  and  yet,  on 
Mr.  Townshend  asking  me  whether  I  wished  to  be  awak- 
ened. I  made  a  hesitating  movement  with  my  shoulders. 
Mr.  Townshend  then  repeated  some  frictions  which  in- 
creased my  sleep,  yet  I  was  always  conscious  of  what  was 
passing  around  me. 

"  He  then  asked  me  if  I  wished  to  become  lucid,  at  the 
same  time  continuing,  as  I  felt,  the  frictions  from  the  face 
to  the  arms.  I  then  experienced  an  indescribable  sensa- 
tion of  delight,  and  for  an  instant  saw  before  me  rays  of 
dazzling  light,  which  instantly  disappeared.  I  was  then 
inwardly  sorrowful  at  this  state  being  prolonged.  It  ap- 
peared to  me  that  enough  had  been  done  with  me.  I 
wished  to  awake,  but  could  not;  yet  when  Mr.  Townshend 
and  Mr.  Desor  spoke,  I  heard  them.  I  also  heard  the 
clock,  and  the  watchman  cry,  but  I  did  not  know  what 
hour  he  cried.  Mr.  Townshend  then  presented  his  watch 
to  me,  and  asked  me  if  I  could  see  the  time,  and  if  I  saw 
him:  but  I  could  distinguish  nothing.  I  heard  the  clock 
strike  the  quarter,  but  could  not  get  out  of  my  sleepy  state. 
Mr.  Townshend  then  woke  me  with  some  quick  transverse 


308  THE   MISSING   LINK 

movements  from  the  middle  of  the  face  outward,  which 

instantly  caused  my  eyes  to  open  ;  and  at  the  same  time  I 
got  up,  saying  to  him,  '  I  thank  you.'  It  was  a  quarter 
past  eleven.  He  then  told  me — and  M.  Desor  repeated 
the  same  thing— that  the  only  fact  which  had  satisfied 
them  that  I  was  in  a  state  of  mesmeric  sleep  was  the  facil- 
ity with  which  my  head  followed  all  the  movements  of  his 
hand,  although  he  did  not  touch  me,  and  the  pleasure 
which  1  appeared  to  feel  at  the  moment  when,  after  sev- 
eral repetitions  of  friction,  he  thus  moved  my  head  at 
pleasure. 

"  (Signed)  Agassiz." 

On  the  above  quoted  statement  of  Agassiz  himself.  Mr. 
Allan  Putnam,  in  his  pamphlet  on  "  Agassiz  and  Spirit- 
ualism," remarks : 

"  We  are  distinctly  taught,  in  the  above  (see  pages  6, 
7,  8,  and  9),  that  as  philosopher  and  scientist,  then  in  the 
full  vigor  of  manhood,  Agassiz  'had  for  a  Ions;  time 
sought'  for  such  an  opportunity  to  be  mesmerized  as  Dr. 
Townshend's  visit  afforded.  This  professor,  even  then 
eminent— this  man,  gifted  with  gigantic  mental  and  strong 
physical  powers — reverently  and  prayerfully,  as  well  as 
philosophically,  sat  calmly  down,  not  to  welcome  and  im- 
bibe, but  '  to  resist  the  mesmeric  influence.''  Then  Greek 
met  Greek,  scientist  met  scientist,  in  calm  but  resolute 
measurement  of  the  strength  and  efficiency  of  their  respect- 
ive weapons  and  forces.  Agassiz  says  his  purpose  was  to 
resist.  The  whole  tone  of  his  account,  however,  indicates 
that  his  resistance  was  in  no  degree  captious,  but  designed 
simply  to  measure  the  strength  and  enable  him  to  note  the 
action  of  mesmeric  force.  The  vigorous  professor  then 
called  into  exercise  ail  his  own  great  inherent  powers  of 
resistance,  and  such  further  aid  as  his  earnest  aspiration 


IN   MODERX   SPIRITUALS  M.  309 

could  bring  to  his  support,  and  yet  was  forced  to  yield  up 
to  another's  will  all  command  over  his  own  physical  organs. 
A  stronger  than  he  entered  and  ruled  over  his  peculiar 
domain.  The  Author  of  all  things,  though  besought,  did 
not  so  co-operate  as  to  countervail  the  legitimate  action  of 
natural  powers.  Invisible  forces,  emitted  and  directed  by 
another  man's  mind,  against  which  his  own  robust  intellect 
was  planted  in  calm  and  firm  resistance,  penetrated  even 
the  compact  Agassiz,  and  caused  him, 

'•  1st.  To  feel  the  sensation  of  a  current  through  all  his 
limbs. 

"  2d.  To  close  his  eye  lids  from  necessity. 

"  3d.  To  lose  his  powers  of  utterance. 

"4th.  To  lose  power  to  change  the  position  of  his  arms. 

"  5th.  To  lose  power  to  even  vriU  to  move  his  arms. 

"  6th.  To  lack  power  to  prevent  movements  of  his  own 
head  by  another's  will. 

"  7th.  To  experience  great  pleasure  in  giving  way  to  the 
attraction  upon  him. 

"  8th.  To  feel  surprised  at  the  contact  of  his  head  with 
another's  hand. 

"  9th.  To  find  the  operator  the  cause  of  the  attraction. 

"  10th.  To  be  confused  at  experiencing  pleasure  from  an 
influence  that  VfBB'inysterious  to  him. 

"11th.  To  see  for  an  instant  dazzling  rays  of  light. 

k'  12th.  To  be  unable  to  awake,  even  though  he  wished 
to. 

"  Similar  experiences  have  become  so  common  that  they 
are  now  devoid  of  strangeness.  Thousands,  possibly  hun- 
dreds of  thousands,  have  had  their  like  since  1839.  But 
no  other  Agassiz  has  described  the  sensations  and  facts  at- 
tending the  subduing  operations.  The  character  of  their 
reporter  gives  his  experiences  exceptional  value. 

"  It  is  true  and  readily  admitted  that  this  keen  and  exact 


310  THE  MISSING   LINK 


observer  was  then  dominated  by  mesmet'ic,  which  many 
assume  to  be  widely  different  from  Spirit,  force.  The  be- 
lief is  prevalent  to-day  that  those  two  adjectives  describe 
one  and  the  same  thing.  Few  persons  who  have  sought  to 
discover  the  relations  between  mesmerism  and  Spiritualism, 
hesitate  to  indorse  the  following  statement,  made  by  Crom- 
well F.  Varley  before  a  committee  of  the  London  Dialec- 
tical Society,  which  was  substantially  this,  viz.,  'I  believe 
that  the  mesmeric  force  and  the  Spiritual  force  are  the 
same — the  only  difference  being  that  in  one  case  the  pro- 
ducing agent  is  in  a  material  body,  and  in  the  other  is  out 
of  such  a  body.'  Mr.  Varley's  competency  to  give  a  valu- 
able opinion  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  the  great 
Atlantic  Telegraph  Company  elected  him  from  among 
England's  eminent  electricians,  to  supervise  and  control 
the  constructors  and  operators  of  their  vast  and  delicate 
apparatus  for  flashing  knowledge  under  the  waters,  from 
continent  to  continent,  and  he  made  their  project  a  success. 
AYe  add,  that  Spiritualism  had,  for  years,  been  manifested 
in  striking  forms  and  much  distinctness,  both  through 
himself  and  other  members  of  his  own  family,  and  that  he 
had  been  an  extensive  observer  and  scientific  student  of  its 
phenomena,  and  a  careful  tester  of  its  forces.  He  had 
reached  the  conclusion,  not  only  that  the  chief  force  em- 
ployed in  producing  both  the  mesmeric  and  the  Spiritual- 
istic entrancement  was  the  same,  but  also  that  it  was 
distinct  from  either  electricity  or  magnetism.  From  Mr. 
Varley's  views  the  conclusion  may  be  fairly  deduced  that 
Agassiz,  in  middle  life,  experienced  much  that  is  undistin- 
gnishable  from  the  sensations  and  perceptions  of  modern 
mediums,  and  that  he  was  subdued  by  use  of  the  same 
force  by  which  they  are  controlled.  As  a  general  rule, 
though  possibly  subject  to  a  few  exceptions,  persons  who 
have  once  yielded  to  mesmeric,  afterward  are  very  liable 


IN   MODERN   SriHITUALISM.  311 

to  succumb  to  Spirit  force.  This  rule  will  have  important 
bearings  when  we  come  to  view  the  deportment  of  Agassiz 
as  a  member  of  the  Harvard  investigating  committee. 
What  we  have  already  adduced  suggests  the  probability 
that,  if  unresisted  by  himself,  Spirits  could  have  controlled 
him  with  much  facility,  had  he  consented  to  be  calm 
and  unresisting  while  he  was  within  the  auras  or  spheres 
of  persons  whose  emanations  and  constituent  elements 
were  helpful  to  the  control  of  physical  forms  by  Spirits. 

The  great  naturalist  probably  was  mesmerized  at  other 
times  than  the  one  of  which  his  own  pen  furnished  an  ac- 
count. For  Townshend,  p.  344,  says :  "  Prof.  Agassiz,  who, 
when  mesmerized,  could  not  of  himself  stir  a  muscle,  moved 
like  an  automaton  across  the  room  when  impelled  by  me. 
Even  while  retaining  his  consciousness  enough  to  resist  my 
efforts  to  move  his  limbs  by  mere  gestures,  without  con- 
tact of  any  kind,  he  subsequently  owned  that  he  was  act- 
ually compelled  into  such  motions  as  I  wished  biiu  to  per- 
form." 


312  THE   MISSING   LINK 


CHAPTER  XXII. 
BOSTON  AND  THE  HARVARD  PROFESSORS  {Continued). 

Disinterested  Judgments  upon  the  Sham  Investigation — Our 
Part  in  the  Proceedings— More  Fair  Investigation  by  the 
Collective  Representatives  of  the  New  England  Press- 
Investigation  by  a  Body  of  Unitarian  Clergymen — Our  Tri- 
umphant Return  Home — Theodore  Parker. 

Kot  only  would  Prof.  Agassiz  not  sit  in  circle  with  us, 
saying  that  he  had  vowed  never  again  to  sit  in  a  circle,  but 
he  would  not  even  consent  to  go  into  a  private  room  with 
the  medium,  Mr.  Redman,  who  invited  him  to  do  so  when 
lie  found  that  the  powerfully  adverse  influence  of  hostile 
wills  and  feelings  strained  against  him,  in  the  room  in 
which  sat  the  professors  and  the  representative  of  The 
Courier,  paralyzed  his  ability  to  exhibit  the  phenomena 
which,  under  normal  circumstances,  were  familiar  and  in- 
variable with  him. 

It  is  evident  that  all  this  was  a  mere  sham  "  investiga- 
tion." The  Boston  Traveller  said  after  it,  that  "  It  is  the 
imanimous  opinion  of  those  who  witnessed  the  whole  pro- 
ceedings, with  the  exception  of  the  representative  of  The 
Courier,  that  the  whole  affair  was  in  no  sense  of  the  word 
an  investigation,  and  that  nothing  was  proved  or  disproved 
by  it."  And  without  quoting  from  other  (non-Spiritualist) 
papers,  I  will  only  add  from  The  Cambridge  Chronicle  of 
July  11th,  issued  under  the  shadow  of  old  Harvard's  edi- 
fices, and  circulated  through  its  halls  and  dormitories,  the 
following  comments  by  a  correspondent:  "  It  is  patent  to 
observation  that  the  committee  approached  the  subject  with 
preconceived  views.     They  seem  to  have  taken  for  granted 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  313 

that  they  knew  more  on  the  subject,  even  without  inves- 
tigation, than  the  unscientific  Spiritualists  with  all  their 
long  experience  and  heart  interest  in  it ;  and  they  erroneous- 
ly judged  that  the  public  would  take  their  ipst  dixit  with 
unreasoning  deference.  Because  a  man  knows  a  rock,  does 
it  follow  that  he  knows  a  star  ?  or  if  he  knows  a  star,  does 
he  know  a  Spirit  ?  Their  professors  have  shown  their  ig- 
norance in  this  '  investigation,'  nothing  more,"  etc. 

I  may  say,  with  specific  reference  to  the  part  of  the 
"two  Fox  sisters,"  that  in  spite  of  the  bad  influences  upon 
us  of  the  bitterly  hostile  spirit  which  ruled  the  so-called 
"  investigation,"  and  the  contemptuous  ill-temper  often 
manifested  by  some  of  the  committee,  I  had  no  reason  to 
be  dissatisfied  with  the  part  played  by  our  Spirit  friends. 
Our  rappings  came,  if  not  as  profusely  as  usual,  yet  abun- 
dantly, both  low  and  loud,  in  spite  of  our  being  moved  to 
different  parts  of  the  room,  of  our  being  placed  standing 
on  cushions  and  on  the  stuffed  spring  seat  of  a  sofa,  etc. 
Their  demonstrative  effect  was  broken  bv  Agassiz's  assur- 
ances  that  he  could  show  how  these  could  be  produced  by 
natural  physiological  means,  and  his  pledge  that  he  would 
do  so,  a  pledge  given  in  the  collective  form  of  "  we,"  and 
therefore  binding  on  the  body  whose  silence  was  assent  to 
them.  And  yet  on  the  last  day,  after  he  had  in  haste  left 
the  room,  and  when  Dr.  Gardner  called  for  the  fulfilment 
of  this  engagement,  Prof.  Pierce,  who  had  presided, 
wriggled  out  of  it  by  the  plea  that  that  was  only  an  indi- 
vidual promise  by  Prof.  Agassiz,  and  not  one  by  the  commit- 
tee. Of  course  it  would  have  been  easy  to  recall  Agassiz, 
or  to  hold  another  meeting  for  the  purpose.  Xor  was  that 
pledge  ever  after  redeemed,  in  spite  of  the  calls  of  the 
Spiritualist  press.  Xor  could  the  great  Agassiz  have  more 
eloquently  admitted  the  impossibility  of  its  fulfilment,  than 
he  did  by  such  .silence  under  such  circumstances. 


314  THE   MISSING   LINK 

On  the  10th  of  July,  1857,  Mr.  Allan  Putnam,  of  Rox- 
bury,  published  a  statement  from  which  I  extract  the  fol- 
lowing : 

"  Mrs.  Brown  and  her  sister,  Miss  C.  Fox,  were  present 
as  mediums.  A  conversation  was  started  which  was  car- 
ried on  mostly,  but  not  entirely,  by  Mr.  Lunt,  the  repre- 
sentative of  The  Courier,  and  Major  Rains,  of  Kewburg, 
K.  Y.,  a  graduate  of  "West  Point,  once  assistant  professor 
there,  and  who,  in  connection  with  Judge  Edmonds  and 
others,  made  a  long-continued  investigation  of  Spiritual 
powers  scientifically.  This  conversation  related  to  the  in- 
strumentality and  processes  by  which  Spirits  work,  and 
Major  Pains  expressed  some  of  his  views  as  to  the  proper 
processes  for  a  scientific  investigation  of  this  particular 
subject. 

"  Also,  there  was  conversation,  mostly  between  Professor 
Agassiz  and  Mrs.  Brown,  as  to  when  and  how  the  Fox 
family  first  learned  that  they  possessed  this  mediumistic 
susceptibility.  The  substance  of  this  harmonized  with 
what  has  often  been  published. 

"  After  a  time,  the  mediums  and  a  few  others  being  at 
the  table,  raps  were  heard,  mostly  on  the  floor  (or  rather 
upon  a  three  or  four  inch  platform  covering  the  stuffed  or 
deadened  floor),  while  a  few  gentle  ones  were  felt  and 
heard  as  if  made  on  the  table.  Afterward,  when  Mrs. 
Brown  stood  by  a  large  wooden  box,  and  put  first  her 
finger  and  then  a  common  pencil  against  the  box,  the  raps 
were  heard  there  as  on  the  box  and  near  her  hand.  Again, 
when  she  stood  upon  a  covered  stool,  the  sounds  seemed 
to  be  made  beneath  her  on  the  platform.  Again,  when 
the  two  mediums  were  both  standing  on  the  stuffed  seat  of 
a  sofa,  the  persons  near  them  remarked  that  they  heard 
sounds  as  from  the  wood  of  the  sofa,  and  also  from  the 
wall  against  which  the  sofa  stood.    My  position  was  distant 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  315 

from  the  sofa,  and  I  only  state  what  others  who  were  near 
remarked.  Many  of  the  raps  upon  the  platform  and  one 
or  two  upon  the  box  were  quite  distinctly  heard  in  most 
parts  of  the  room. 

"  Near  the  close  of  their  sitting,  Prof.  Agassiz  stated 
that  the  production  of  such  sounds  could  be  referred  to 
known  laws,  and  said,  'Before  the  investigation  is  over 
we  will  explain  to  you  how  they  may  be  produced.' 

"  When  about  to  separate,  Major  Rains  expressed  a  wish 
that  all  would  stop  and  compare  notes,  and  come  to  an 
agreement  as  to  what  had  actually  occurred  or  been  ex- 
hibited. A  few  sentences  as  to  the  propriety  or  impor- 
tance of  this  course  were  exchanged  between  him  and 
Prof.  Pierce,  when  the  Professor  said,  with  a  very  ironi- 
cal and  discourteous  tone  and  look,  '  \\"e  thank  you,  sir, 
for  your  advice,3  and  bowing,  hastily  left  the  room.  This 
occurred  while  a  portion  of  the  company  were  about  leav- 
ing the  room — while  nearly  all  were  standing  and  ready  to 
go — while  promiscuous  conversation  was  going  on — and  it 
is  not  probable  that  many  heard  or  saw  what  is  here  de- 
scribed. I  was  standing  by  the  side  of  Major  Pains,  and 
saw  and  heard  the  whole  most  distinctly.  Mortified  and 
ashamed  at  the  tones  and  looks  of  this  representative  of 
Alma  Mat  r  and  of  Science,  when  addressed  to  a  gentle- 
man stranger,  and  a  man  of  science,  I  turned  silently  away, 
and  was  not  surprised  when,  shortly  after,  Major  Pain 
to  me,  '  There  seems  no  occasion  for  me  to  remain  here 
because  of  any  knowledge  or  skill  which  my  experience  in 
such  investigations  may  have  given  me  ;  there  is  no  at- 
tempt, no  purpose,  to  have  an  investigation  of  the  general 
subject.  I  had  better  return  home.'  And  soon  he  did  go, 
as  then  proposed. 

••  Now  the  'change  came  o'er  the  spirit  of  my  dream.9 
At  the  next  gathering  I  asked,  privately,  and.  learned  from 


316  THE   MISSING   LINK 

both  Prof.  Pierce  and  Mr.  Gould,  that  they  considered 
the  money  question  as  still  before  them,  and  that  they 
were  but  judges  and  not  investigators.  From  that  time 
my  relations  to  them  and  to  that  particular  trial  became 
relatively  unpleasant.  I  had  little  to  do  or  say,  and 
nothing  to  hope  for,  because  of  the  necessary  antagonism 
in  the  room. 

''At  their  next  sitting  Mr.  Redman  was  the  medium. 
Raps  and  tipping  of  the  table  did  not  come  as  they 
usually  do  with  him  ;  yet  he  asked  those  at  the  table  to 
write  the  names  of  deceased  friends  and  roll  up  the 
slips.  Prof.  Pierce  commenced  writing  in  a  book.  Prof. 
Agassiz,  in  the  meanwhile,  was  standing  near  his  back, 
frequently  changing  his  own  attitude  and  position,  and 
looking  very  intently  upon  Redman,  although  he  said  to 
Prof.  Pierce,  '  Throw  that  one  out,'  meaning  the  slip  just 
written  upon.  There  was  the  appearance  of  much  mental 
disturbance  in  Prof.  Agassiz,  as  shown  by  his  attitudes, 
his  changes  of  position,  his  wild  gaze,  and  his  tones 
when  he  spoke.  1S0  raps  came,  nothing  claiming  to  be 
Spiritual  was  done  by  or  through  Mr.  Redman  in  the  pub- 
lic room.  At  some  time  during  this  sitting  Dr.  Gardner 
drew  attention  to  the  points  of  disturbance,  through  strong 
mental  action  and  intent  use  of  the  eyes.  Mr.  Lunt  was 
understood  to  say  that  he  had  been  using  both  mind  and 
eyes  intently,  and  with  much  effect ;  but  I  was  on  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  room  from  him  when  he  spoke,  and  may 
not  have  taken  in  the  exact  import  of  his  words. 

"  Similar  want  of  success  attended  the  other  mediums,  at 
all  the  subsequent  sittings  up  to  the  meeting  of  the  Daven- 
ports, on  the  last  evening.  These  boys,  or  young  men, 
were  intrusted  almost  entirely  to  the  management  of  the 
Committee,  and  those  of  us  who  were  but  spectators  are 
not  so  informed  as  to  make  it  proper  to  state  in  advance 


IN   MODERN-   SPIRITUALISM.  317 

of  the  Committee  what  was  attempted  nor  what  the  suc- 
cess. We  do  know  that  at  the  close  Prof.  Agassiz  held 
up  a  small,  short  piece  of  thread,  which  he  said  had 
been  '  broken]  and  that  that  was  the  teat.  Having  uttered 
these  words  in  a  very  rough  tone  and  emphatic  manner, 
lie.  in  a  similar  tone,  said,  '  Good  night,  gentlemen,'  and 
hastily  left  us. 

"  Prof.  Pierce  then  said  to  Dr.  Gardner,  'I  suppose  you 
are  through  with  us.'  The  Doctor  replied,  '  No,  you  have 
promised  to  show  us  how  the  raps  were  made.'  'Not 
as  a  Committee,'  said  Prof.  Pierce ;  '  Mr.  Agassiz  made 
that  promise  as  an  individual.'  And  thus  the  affair  closed 
— we  as  much  disappointed  at  the  failure  of  Agassiz  to 
keep  his  word  and  unveil  the  mystery  of  rapping,  as  at 
any  one  failure  during  the  sittings. 

"The  Investigation,  in  fact,  was  a  trial  of  the  correctness 
of  the  statements  made  at  the  preliminary  meeting,  viz., 
'  that  it  was  in  the  power  of  the  gentlemen  there  present 
to  make  the  trial  a  failure,  by  ejecting  certain  forces  from 
their  own  minds  and  eyes.'     In  this  they  were  successful. 

"  Two  of  the  gentlemen,  Prof.  Agassiz  and  Mr.  Lunt, 
omitted  throughout  all  the  sessions  to  comply  with  invita- 
tions to  sit  in  the  circle  around  the  table,  and  there  was 
not,  in  any  instance  or  at  any  point,  any  opportunity  for 
Dr.  Gardner  to  exercise  '  the  determination  of  all  the  ac- 
cessory circumstances.'  The  former  gentleman,  it  seems, 
was  permitted  to  exercise  his  own  choice  as  to  being  in 
the  circle,  but  not  so  the  latter.  Dr.  Gardner's  friends 
have  been  disappointed,  and  the  chief  disappointment 
was  at  the  manners  and  actions  and  mental  and  emotional 
sta^s  of  two  of  the  Committee  and  a  representative  of  The 
<  bwier. 

"No  chickens  were  hatched  on  this  occasion,  where  the 
hen  was  kept  in  perpetual  agitation,  and  was  often  driven 


318  THE   MISSING   LIXK 


from  her  nest  during  the  period  of  incubation;  but  if  does 
not  foUow  that  eggs  ru  ve?'  contain  a  vital  principle.     Let 

the  proper  conditions  be  observed,  let  natural  laws  have 
legitimate  play,  and  the  latent  vital  principle  will  take 
form  and  embodiment  and  come  forth  from  the  shell  a 
thing  of  life  and  power.  Jt  is  easy  to  prevent  the  hatch- 
ing of  an  egg,  for  the  Committee  did  that  with  very  little 
trouble.  J  Jut  many  hens  'steal  to  their  nests,'  and  in  se- 
cluded spots,  where  natural  laws  are  conformed  to,  the 
hatching  processes  still  go  on  in  spite  of  human  science. 

"  Allen  Putnam. 
"Roxbuky,  July  10,  1857." 

I  must  here  bear  testimony  to  the  uniform  politeness — 
I  may  say  kindness — with  which  I  was  personally  treated 
by  Prof.  Agassiz,  however  rough  may  have  been  his  occa- 
sional treatment  of  some  of  the  other  mediums.  So  far  as 
we  were  concerned,  he  exhibited  nothing  but  that  perfect 
gentlemanhood  which  lent  another  grace  to  his  mental 
greatness  and  scientific  attainment.  There  has  always  re- 
mained on  my  mind  the  impression  of  something  mysteri- 
ous as  having  clouded  his  general  conduct  in  this  "  investi- 
gation.1' lie  was  indeed  in  a  false  position,  and  ought 
never  to  have  been  a  member  of  that  committee  of  pro- 
fessors, inasmuch  as  it  was  of  such  serious  importance  to 
Prof.  .Felton  (afterwards  president),  who  was  virtually  the 
prosecuting  officer  against  Spiritualism,  and  so  vehement 
in  his  public  antagonism  to  it,  and  who  was  also  so  closely 
connected  by  marriage  with  Agassiz,  his  father-in-law  (I 
believe),  that  a  failure  to  support  Felton  in  this  must  have 
complicated  family  relations.  I  must  also  add  that  1 
found  Prof.  Horsford  unexceptionable  as  a  kind  and  cour- 
teous gentleman.  I  think  that  at  the  bottom  of  the  com- 
mittee's strange  conduct  in  only  making  an  "award"  on  a 


IX   MODERN   BPIRITUALISM.  319 

money  question,  which  no  longer  existed  before  them,  and 
then  remaining  in  the  ridiculous  position  of  never  making 
their  promised  "report,"  notwithstanding  the  challei  \ 

and  the  jeers  of  the  Spiritualist  papers  and  orators,  lay, 
in  some  degree  at  lea&t.  the  facts  of  this  awkwardness  of 
domestic  difficulties,  and  the  impossibility  of  getting  the 
professors  united  upon  any  report. 

But  that  noble  man,  who  has  long  since  gone  to  his  re- 
ward, Dr.  Gardner,  did  not  let  the  matter  drop  at  this 
point.  No  sooner  was  the  "award"  promulgated  than  he 
engaged  his  mediums  to  postpone  their  departure  from  the 
city,  and,  under  like  circumstances,  in  the  same  room,  fur- 
niture unchanged,  to  repeat  their  sittings  before  a  different 
set  of  investigators,  namely,  the  representatives  of  ike,  Press. 
A  large  body  of  these  gentlemen  attended,  besides  their 
friends  and  other  spectators,  and  it  is  sufficient  for  me  to 
say  that  the  results  were  entirely  satisfactory.  But  Dr. 
Gardner  had  requested  that  their  reports  should  be  with- 
held from  publication  until  after  the  committee's  full  re- 
port should  have  appeared. 

In   Mr.  Allan  Putnam's  pamphlet  above   referred  to 

("Agassiz  and  Spiritualism"),  is  given  an  account  of  this 

convening  of  the  members  of  the  Press,  by  Dr.  Gardner, 

written  by  the  temporary  editor  of    The  New  England 

[ritualist,  and  signed  "  One  Present,"  and  commencing : 

"It  is  well  known  that  the  'award 'of  the  committee 
entirely  failed  to  meet  the  rational  demand-  of  inquirers. 
It  took  the  form  of  a  decree  rather  than  a  decision.  Such 
being  the  facts,  Dr.  Gardner  thought  it  due.  nut  only  to 
himself  but  to  the  community,  to  make  another  effort  to 
have  the  matter  fairly  and  deliberately  tested.  Accord- 
ingly, immediately  after  the  appearance  of  the  committt 
'award,'  he  invited  theeditorsof  the  principal  newspapers 
in  the  city  to  attend  the  seances  and  witness  manifestations 


320  THE   MISSING    LINK 


through  the  same  mediums  lie  had  employed  before  the 
professors. 

"  The  gentlemen  who  responded  to  this  invitation  were  : 
Messrs.  Carter,  Robinson,  and  Brown,  of  The  Boston 
Traveller ;  Stockwell,  of  The  Journal;  Bulger,  of  The 
Post ;  Clapp  and  Sliillaber,  of  The  Gazette  ;  Marsh,  of  The 
Bee;  Tracy,  of  The  Herald;  Hill,  of  The  Ledger ;  and 
the  editors  of  The  Banner  of  Light,  and  New  England 
Spiritualist.  There  were  also  present  at  a  portion  of  the 
sittings,  Hon.  L.  V.  Bell,  A.  Putnam,  Esq.,  Alvin  Adams, 
Esq.,  and  others." 

I  extract  only  the  following,  which  relates  to  ourselves: 


SECOND    SESSION. 


"At  the  second  session,  on  Thursday  afternoon,  July 
2d,  Mrs.  Brown  and  Miss  Kate  Fox  were  present  as  me- 
diums. The  precaution  was  taken  again  to  examine  the 
furniture  and  appliances  of  the  room,  to  guard  against  any 
mechanical  trickery.  The  company  then  seating  them- 
selves, raps  were  in  a  few  moments  heard  upon  the  floor 
and  table.  The  sounds  were  various  and  complicated,  from 
the  lightest  tap  to  quite  heavy  blows.  The  heavier  sounds 
had  a  peculiar  softness,  as  if  they  had  been  made  by  a 
padded  drum-stick  worked  by  a  spring. 

"  The  next  step  was  to  test  the  intelligence  manifested 
through  the  sounds.  The  method  of  doing  this  .will  be 
understood  from  the  following,  which  is  but  a  small  part 
of  the  proceedings — as  a  report  of  the  whole  would  be  but 
a  repetition  of  questions  similar  in  their  character,  and 
eliciting  equivalent  results. 

"  A  Spirit-friend  of  Mr.  Marsh  announced  himself  as 
present. 

"Mr.  Marsh. — '  Will  you  tell  me  your  name  ? ' 

"  By  the  sounds. — '  Yes.' 


IN    MODBHN    SPIRITUALISM.  321 


"A  list  of  names  was  written  by  Mr.  M.,  and  as  he 
pointed  to  them  separately  the  Spirit  designated  that  of 
Le  Grand  Smith. 

"  Mk.  M. — '  Will  yon  tell  me  the  manner  of  your  death  V 

"  •  Lost  at  sea.'     (Correct.) 

"  Mr.  M. — "  Will  you  tell  me  where  I  last  saw  you?' 

"'New  York.1     (Correct.) 

"  '  Have  you  any  other  acquaintance  in  this  room  ? ' 

"  '  Mr.  Clapp.' 

"Mb.  C. — 'Will  Mr.  Marsh  ask  him  where  I  last  saw 
him?' 

"Answer  ohtained  by  Mr.  Marsh — 'Boston.'    (Correct.) 

"  Me.  C. — '  I  have  seen  him  when  he  was  sick  ;  can  he 
tell  at  what  place  ? ' 

"Mil.  M.— 'Will  the  Spirit  tell  where  Mr.  Clapp  has 
seen  him  sick  ?' 

"  '  New  York.'     (Correct.) 

"  'Where  else  ? '     (Xo  answer.) 

"  '  Whom  were  you  intimate  with  in  Boston  ?  the  Chick- 
erings '. ' 

"A  weak  affirmative  was  returned,  which  was  supposed 
to  indicate  that  he  was  acquainted  with  them — perhaps 
not  intimately. 

"  'Did  yon  know  Col.  X.  .V.  Thompson?' 

"  •  Yes.' 

"'  Any  other  persons  in  this  circle  ? ' 

"'Dr.  Gardner'' — and  others. 

"Dr.  G.  seemed  willing  that  all  failures  should  pass  as 
such,  and  promptly  said,  '  That  is  a  mistake,  gentlemen  ; 
I  don't  know  any  such  person.' 

"A  desultory  conversation  here  sprung  up;  after  which 
Mr.  Marsh  resumed:  'In  whose  employ  were  you  when  I 
first  knew  you?' 

"'Jenny  land's.' 


322  THE   MISSING   LINK 

"  Dr.  G. — '  Oh  !  is  that  the  man  ?  I  know  now.  I  saw 
him  in  Springfield  once;  had  some  sharp  words  with  him, 
too.' 

"  Mb.  Stockwell — '  Is  there  any  other  Spirit  present 
who  was  lost  at  sea? ' 

" '  Yes.' 

"  Mb.  S. — '  An  acquaintance  of  mine  ? ' 

" '  Yes.' 

"  '  Will  he  tell  in  what  steamer  he  was  lost  ? ' 

"  Correctly  answered. 

" '  If  I  write  a  list  of  names,  will  he  indicate  his  ? ' 
."'Yes.' 

"Mr.  S.  wrote  a  list  of  names  ;  but  neither  of  them  was 
indicated  by  the  Spirit,  though  he  went  through  the  list 
twice.  A  moment  or  two  after,  an  earnest  response  was 
heard.  Mr.  S.  had  spelt  the  name  wrong  in  the  first  in- 
stance ;  but  instantly,  on  correcting  it,  the  affirmative  came. 
The  last-mentioned  facts  were  then  stated  to  the  company, 
no  hint  having  been  given  in  the  course  of  the  proceeding 
whether  it  was  satisfactory  or  not.  The  name  indicated 
was  that  of  Samuel  Stacy. 

"Another  friend  of  Mr.  S.  announced  his  presence. 
His  name  was  correctly  given ;  and  a  list  of  towns  was 
written,  with  the  request  that  he  would  point  out  where 
he  died.  No  response  came ;  but  on  changing  the  word 
Cambridge  in  the  list,  to  Cambridgegwtf,  the  sounds  were 
promptly  returned.  In  these  last  two  instances  was  an  ac- 
curacy of  intelligence  beyond  what  was  looked  for  by  the 
experimenter. 

"  '  Will  the  Spirit  tell  his  birth-place  ? ' 

" '  Yes.' 

"  A  list  of  towns  being  written  by  Mr.  S.,  was  passed  to 
Mr.  Brown,  with  tlio  request  that  the  response  might  be 
given  to  him,  Mr.  B.  being  totally  ignorant  of  the  matter. 


IN  MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  323 

"Various  tests  of  this  nature  were  tried.  The  quest  inns 
were  asked  by  those  ignorant  of  their  answers,  and  the  re- 
sult was,  without  exception,  correct. 

"The  question  of  a  separate  intelligence  having  had  due 
consideration,  experiments  were  tried  with  regard  to  the 
sounds.  The  mediums,  by  request,  moved  to  various  por- 
tions of  the  room;  and  the  sounds  were  produced,  varying 
in  quality  according  to  the  different  substances  from  which 
they  apparently  proceeded.  The  'toe-joint'  theory  being 
suggested  by  some  one,  the  mediums  were  requested  to 
stand  on  the  spring  cushion  of  a  sofa.  This  they  did.  and 
merely  touching  the  tip  of  a  finger  against  the  plastering. 
the  sounds  were  distinctly  and  abundantly  heard  on,  or 
rather  in  the  wall.  They  were  equally  distinct  to  a  person 
in  the  adjoining  room.  That  the  ladies  had  no  other  con- 
tact with  the  wall  than  to  touch  it  lightly  with  the  tip  of 
a  single  finger,  all  present  can  testify." 

Nor  was  this  action  of  the  members  of  the  Press  the 
only  investigation  by  high  authority  which  we  two  (Katie 
and  I)  underwent  on  this  occasion  of  our  visit  to  Boston, 
in  1857. 

It  was  proposed  by  our  friends  that  we  should  meet  a 
party  of  Unitarian  clergymen  at  the  house  of  Rev.  Dr. 
Harrington,  in  Summerville,  about  six  miles  from  Boston. 

They  made  a  most  thorough  investigation.  They  held 
a  consultation  in  a  private  room,  and  considered  that  now 
was  the  time  to  satisfy  themselves  in  regard  to  the  pro- 
duction of  the  sounds;  as  they  had  read  the  statement 
made  by  the  Buffalo  doctors,  in  which  "knee-knocking" 
figures,  and  also  the  Burr  toe-ological  humbug,  and  many 
more  wise  theories,  which  they  wished  to  prove  true  or 
silence  forever. 

Rev.  Dr.  Francis,  a  brother  of   Lydia  Maria  Child,  and 


324  THE  MISSING   LINK 

another  distinguished  clergyman,  were  appointed  to  hold 
our  knees,  and  two  ladies  held  our  feet,  rested  on  chairs, 
exposed  plainly  to  view. 

During  the  time  we  were  held  in  this  position,  sounds 
were  made  all  around  the  room — on  chairs,  on  the  floor, 
under  their  feet,  etc.  One  old  gentleman  shouted  out, 
"  Thank  God,  1  always  helieved  the  raps  were  genuine, 
and  now  I  know  they  are."  He  then  told  us  he  was  living 
near  Rochester  when  we  first  came  before  the  public,  and 
always  felt  the  deepest  sympathy  for  us. 

At  the  close  of  the  investigation  we  were  all  invited  to 
go  into  the  dining-room,  where  a  sumptuous  banquet  had 
been  prepared  for  the  party.  The  Spirits  of  earth  and 
heaven  met  and  rejoiced  together  on  this  occasion  ;  and 
there  were  many  more  of  the  invisible  ones  than  of  those 
still* in  the  flesh.  Many  sweet  songs  were  sung,  and  the 
timely  echoes  from  the  Spirit  world  told  us  plainly  that 
they  were  not  afar  off.  .It  was  time  for  us  to  leave  them. 
Mr.  Alvin  Adams  had  taken  us  there  in  his  beautiful 
equipage,  and  he  advised  us  of  the  hour.  The  party  ac- 
companied us  to  the  carriage,  and  with  many  blessings  and 
words  of  encouragement,  bid  us  farewell. 

There  were  fifteen  or  more  Unitarian  clergymen  together 
with  many  of  their  lady  and  gentlemen  friends.  One  of 
the  clergymen,  laying  his  hand  on  the  shoulder  of  Dr. 
Francis,  exclaimed,  "  Gentlemen,  this  is  proof  positive  of 
that  which  we  have  all  been  grasping  after,  as  a  shadow, 
from  time  immemorial." 

On  our  return  to  the  hotel  at  Boston,  a  large  party  of 
friends  had  assembled  in  our  parlor,  and  met  us  with 
outstretched  hands.  ¥m.  Lloyd  Garrison  said,  "  I  know 
you  have  been  successful,  or  you  would  not  come  in  with 
such  happy  faces."  The  Spirits  rapped  in  response  to  his 
exclamation,  and  we  spent  a  pleasant  evening. 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  325 

The  following  morning  a  large  party,  who  came  from 
Vermont,  occasioned  considerable  amusement. 

They  came  "  to  see  the  mediums,"  which  seemed  to  be 
all  that  some  of  them  wanted.  They  waited  in  the  recep- 
tion-room. Several  of  them  stood  on  the  stairs.  As  we 
came  from  the  breakfast  table  and  passed  through  the 
hall,  one  of  them  called  out  loudly  to  the  others,  "  There  ! 
we've  seen  'em  without  paying." 

They  came  from  the  Green  Mountains,  with  the  idea 
that,  we  were  something  curious  to  be  seen :  and  they  had 
concluded  to  spend  a  dollar  in  order  to  gratify  their  curi- 
osity. Edwin  Forrest  and  several  of  his  friends  were  still 
at  the  breakfast  table,  and  they  enjoyed  the  joke  very 
much. 

The  party  were  not  all,  however,  of  this  kind  ;  two  or 
three  came  in  and  paid  the  admission  fee.  One  woman 
had  good  evidence  of  communication  with  a  daughter 
lately  deceased. 

We  met  many  interesting  persons  at  Mr.  Parks's,  among 
whom  were  Theodore  Parker,  and  Rev.  James  Freeman 
Clark,  who  seemed  very  much  interested,  and  kindly  in- 
vited us  to  accompany  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Parks  to  his  home, 
which  invitation  was  accepted.  We  spent  a  pleasant  day 
with  his  honored  mother  and  sister,  his  wife  being  absent 
from  home. 

I  shall  ever  remember  the  beaming,  kindly  face  of  Rev. 
Theodore  Parker,  who  fearlessly,  frankly,  and  honestly  an- 
nounced to  his  friends  that  he  was  a  believer  in  Spiritual- 
ism. Subsequently  he  visited  me  several  times  in  company 
with  Rev.  John  Pierpont. 


326  THE   MISSING   LINK 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

ROBEBT  DALE  OWEN  AND  PBOFESSOB  FELTON, 
PBESIDENT  OF  HARVARD  COLLEGE. 

Masterly  Letter  from  Mr.  Owen. 

Although  not  directly  connected  with  the  affair  of  the 
Harvard  Professors,  yet  it  comes  in  natural  sequence  to 
the  preceding  chapter  for  me  to  mention  that,  after  the 
appearance  of  Robert  Dale  Owen's  "  Footfalls  on  the 
Boundary  of  Another  World,"  Professor  Felton,  who 
burned  with  angry  zeal  against  Spiritualism,  wrote  him  a 
letter  (April  13,  1860),  which  was  slow  in  reaching  its 
destination.  Mr.  Owen,  having  written  a  reply  to  it,  re- 
quested Felton's  permission  to  publish  the  former  with 
the  latter ;  a  request  which  was  declined  on  the  ground 
that  "  the  letter  was  hastily  written,  and  intended  only  for 
your  eyes." 

The  letter  referred  to  was  a  fair  sample  of  the  sort  of 
criticism  which  he  wrote  on  the  subject,  and  which  he  was 
willing  to  retail  out  to  others,  and  then  decline  to  face  any 
fair  discussion  with  a  highly  honorable  opponent,  at  least 
his  equal  in  public  and  social  position,  who  had  unanswer- 
ably answered  his  bitterly  libellous  language.  It  is  open 
to  question  whether  Mr.  Owen's  delicacy  was  not  excessive 
in  respecting  the  privacy  of  Professor  Felton's  volunteered 
letter  of  controversial  attack  upon  his  book,  and  whether 
he  would  not  have  been  perfectly  justified  in  publishing  it, 
as  he  asked  permission  to  do,  side  by  side  with  the  masterly 
reply  which  it  elicited.  This  reply,  which  I  now  proceed 
to  publish,  will  suffice  to  show  how  little  the  Harvard  dig- 
nitary, however  learned  in  Greek,  was  a  match  in  logical 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  327 

controversy  for  Mr.  Owen,  who  had  been  a  distinguished 
member  of  Congress,  and  who  had  recently  vacated  the 
post  of  I  .  S.  Minister  at  the  court  of  Naples. 

The  Professor  stated  that  he  had  fully  "  investigated  the 
subject  both  in  this  country.and  in  Europe,  and  that  the  con- 
elusion  at  which  he  had  arrived  was  that  the  alleged  phys- 
ical phenomena,  such  as  moving  of  tables  without  the 
ordinary  application  of  physical  force,  never  take  place 
under  conditions  which  absolutely  prevent  the  action  of 
delusion  or  fraud."  lie  is  not  the  only  man  who  has 
claimed  to  have  "investigated."  when  he  has  visited  a  few 
mediums  with  the  eyes  of  his  mind  so  shut  and  sealed  with 
hostile  prejudice  that  what  he  calls  his  investigation  had 
been  but  an  idle  farce. 

Then  again,  in  the  same  letter,  he  declares,  in  relation 
to  the  investigation  in  Boston,  that  "the  whole  thing 
failed,  failed  utterly." 

I  refrain  from  designating  this  as  it  deserves.  I  refer 
my  readers  to  the  history  of  that  sham  investigation  for 
them  to  give  it  its  proper  designation.  He  knew  the 
statement  was  not  true  of  the  manifestations  during  the 
investigation,  if  his  own  committee  could  be  believed.  The 
letter  says,  "  If  I  ever  have  time  I  shall  prepare  a  volume 
on  the  subject." 

He  did  not,  however,  have  time  before  he  followed  the 
course  of  Nature,  and  he  has  now  found  out  for  himself 
many  tilings  not  falling  within  the  scope  of  his  studies  as 
Professor  of  Greek,  which  he  did  not  know  before. 

After  this  outpouring,  he  goes  on  to  sanction  the  same 
thing  in  Christian  Revelation.  He  says  the  cases  are 
different.  Yes,  we  have  the  absolute  facts  here,  ami  that 
18  better  than  those  of  long  ago.  The  fact  is,  Prof.  Felton 
never  gave  it  one  hour  of  fair  investigation. 

Though  Prof,   felton  refused  permission  for  the  pub- 


328  THE  MISSING   LINK 


lication  of  his  letter,  I  am  under  no  restraint  for   the 

publication  of  Mr.  Owen's  masterly  reply  to  it;  with 
which,  as  it  has  not  before  been  published  (to  my  knowl- 
edge), I  am  glad  to  be  able  to  enrich  this  volume. 

"  Philadelphia,  November  12,  i860. 
"  My  Dear  Sir  : 

"It  was  only  on  my  recent  return  from  Europe  that  I 
had  the  pleasure  of  receiving  your  letter  of  the  thirtieth 
of  April  last.  I  have  since  given  to  its  strictures  the 
earnest  consideration  to  which  the  character  and  standing 
of  the  writer  and  his  friendly  tone  justly  entitle  them. 

"If,  on  a  careful  review,  I  had  found  cause  to  believe 
that  the  tendency  of  my  work  is  such  as  you  represent,  it 
would  be  little  consolation  to  feel  that  it  was  prompted  by 
those  good  intentions  which  you  are  candid  and  courteous 
enough  to  ascribe  to  me.  Prudence,  painstaking  discrimi- 
nation, severe  scrutiny  of  evidence,  especially  for  the  novel 
or  the  extraordinary,  are,  in  an  author,  duties  as  imperative 
as  good  faith  and  uprightness ;  nor  should  he  escape  repre- 
hension by  pleading  the  one,  if  it  appear  that  he  has  neg- 
lected the  others. 

"  But  my  conscience  acquits  me  of  neglecting,  save  by 
exceptional  inadvertence,  reasonable  precautions.  That 
these  may,  in  some  cases,  have  proved  unavailing,  is  the 
lot  of  human  effort.  So  far,  however,  after  ten  months' 
probation,  I  have  had  doubts  cast  upon  a  single  narrative 
only,  out  of  the  seventy  or  eighty  which  my  volume  con- 
tains;  and  it  is  to  the  credit  of  your  sagacity  that  the 
story  thus  discredited  is  that  of  the  Livonian  School- 
teacher, the  very  one  to  the  evidence  for  which  you  chiefly 
take  exception.  It  was  part  of  my  business  in  visiting- 
Europe  to  test  a  case,  to  the  conflicting  evidence  regarding 
which,  about  three  months  after  the  publication  of  '  Foot- 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  329 

falls,'  my  attention  was  called  by  a  friend  ;  and  as  my  in- 
quiries, though  they  showed  some  foundation  for  the  story, 
tended  to  discredit  its  details,  1  did  what  duty  required  of 
me;  I  omitted  in  the  English  edition,  recently  issued,  and 
iu  the  tenth  American  edition,  the  story  in  question,  adding 
an  explanatory  note,  and  substituting  a  narrative  en- 
titled 'The  Two  Sisters,'  relative  to  a  similar  phenomenon, 
and  of  which  a  copy  is  herewith  inclosed.  You  will  find 
the  names  of  the  two  witnesses  initialized  only ;  hut  I  am 
authorized  by  these  ladies  to  communicate  to  you,  if  you 
desire  to  follow  up  the  case,  their  names — neither  unknown 
nor  little  esteemed  —  and  their  residence,  within  a  day's 
easy  journey  of  Cambridge. 

"  In  two  of  the  narratives,  the  '  Wynyard  apparition  ' 
and  '  Gaspar,'  I  have  obtained  and  inserted  in  the  latest 
editions  important  additional  vouchers. 

"  You  have  not,  as  you  inform  me,  the  '  slightest  hesi- 
tation in  rejecting  the  entire  mass  of  the  stories.'  Forgive 
me  if  I  say,  that  I  admire  your  boldness  more  than  your 
discretion.  Abercrombie,  in  his  '  Intellectual  Powers,'' 
vouches  ('  Footfalls/  pp.  151,  103,  181,  201)  for  several  of 
the  most  remarkable.  John  Wesley  relates  (p.  225),  and 
Dr.  Adam  Clarke  and  the  poet  Southey  indorse  (p.  238) 
another ;  Goethe  is  sponsor  for  one  (p.  197) ;  sceptics  like 
Mackay  (p.  255)  and  Macnish  (p.  155)  for  a  second  and 
third  ;  Mrs.  Senator  Linn  for  a  fourth  (p.  455) ;  Dr.  Bush- 
nell  for  a  fifth  (p.  459);  William  Howitt  and  his  amiable 
wife  for  several  more  (pp.  170,  171,  373);  Mr.  and  .Mr-. 
S.  C  Hall  for  two  of  the  most  interesting  (pp.  4  17.  463). 
At  leasta  dozen  are  attested  by  clergymen  of  unimpeached 
character.  If  all  these  names  seem  to  you  irresponsible, 
and  if  you  refuse  credit,  unless  men  be  '  put  on  the  stand 
and  under  the  solemnity  of  an  oath,"  that  species  of  evi- 
dence also,  the  highest  known  to  the  law,  I  have  furnished. 


330  THE   MISSING   LINK 

The  facts  touching  the  Mompesson  disturbances  were  offi- 
cially proved  in  court  (p.  221);  so,  before  the  sheriff  of 
Edinburgh,  were  those  which  tormented  Captain  Moles- 
worth  (p.  254) ;  so,  above  all,  were  the  phenomena  of  the 
Cideville  Parsonage,  running  through  two  months  and  a 
half.  In  this  last  case  I  have  given  (pp.  275  to  282)  the 
sworn  testimony  of  eleven  witnesses  taken  down,  as  the 
French  forms  of  law  require,  in  writing,  read  over  to  each 
witness,  and  its  accuracy  attested  by  the  signature  of  each. 
Among  these  witnesses  were  the  mayor  of  the  town,  the 
Marquis  de  Mirville,  well  known  as  an  author  of  repute,  a 
neighboring  lady  of  rank  and  her  son,  and  three  clergy- 
men. The  mayor  swears  that  he  saw  the  shovel  and  tongs 
move  from  the  fireplace  into  the  room,  no  one  touching 
them  or  near  them  ;  that,  having  replaced  them,  the  same 
thing  happened  a  second  time,  '  while  the  witness  had  his 
eyes  on  them,  so  as  to  detect  any  trick.'  The  Curate  of 
Saussy  saw  a  'hammer  fly,  impelled  by  an  invisible  force, 
from  the  spot  where  it  lay,  and  fall  on  the  floor  without 
more  noise  than  if  he  had  placed  it  there.'  All  testify  to 
phenomena,  and  especially  to  knockings,  as  marvellous  as 
any  which  American  Spiritualism  claims.  Monsieur  de 
Saint  Victor  deposes  that  '  he  felt  convinced,  that  if  every 
person  in  the  house  had  set  to  work,  together,  to  pound 
with  mallets  on  the  floor,  they  would  not  have  produced 
such  a  racket '  (p.  2S0).  Kot  one  of  the  witnesses,  placed 
under  such  solemn  responsibilities, '  shrinks  from  repeating 
the  monstrous  story.' 

"The  Cideville  wonders,  thus  attested  by  evidence 
strong  enough  to  hang  a  dozen  men,  far  exceed  those  of 
JIvdesville.  Are  you  prepared  to  pronounce  these  eleven 
witnesses  (and  as  many  more,  whose  testimony  I  have 
omitted,  and  who  swear  to  the  same  incidents)  to  be,  as 
you  declared   the  Foxes,  '  wretched  cheats,  contemptible 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  331 

and  dishonest '  ?  Did  they,  too,  palm  '  unscrupulous  frauds 
on  deluded  people  '  (  Have  you  not  the  'slightest  hesita- 
tion '  in  setting  down  persons  of  character  and  station  as 
wilful  perjurers  I — nay,  as  motiveless  perjurers  ?  Or 
were  they,  one  and  all,  deluded?  "SYere  the  impressions 
their  senses  received  due  only  to  '  ill-regulated  imagina- 
tions '  i  What  sort  of  imagination  is  it  that  would  per- 
suade two  men  that  a  table  which  they  sought,  by  main 
force,  to  prevent  from  moving,  did  move,  without  con- 
ceivable cause,  in  spite  of  their  efforts  ?  (p.  280.)  Do 
people  imagine  '  such  a  clatter  in  the  room  that  one  can 
hardly  endure  it '  ( — or  that  '  every  piece  of  furniture 
there  was  set  in  vibration '  ? — or  such  a  pounding  that  the 
witness  k  expected  every  moment  that  the  floor  of  the 
apartment  would  sink  beneath  his  feet '  ?  (p.  2S0.) 

••  You  take  me  to  task  for  narrating  on  insufficient  testi- 
mony. If  the  rules  of  evidence  which  I  have  applied  in 
the  Mompesson  case,  in  the  AYesley  case,  in  the  Cideville 
case,  and  I  will  add  in  that  of  the  Rochester  Knockings, 
are  to  be  rejected  as  untrustworthy,  then  not  only  shall  we 
sink  back  to  scepticism  in  all  history  and  (as  far  as  histori- 
cal evidence  goes)  in  all  religion,  but  proof  will  fail  us,  in 
all  our  courts  of  justice,  alike  to  acquit  the  innocent  and 
condemn  the  guilty. 

"  I  do  not  allege  that  all  the  narratives  in  my  book  are 
equally  well  authenticated.  The  Stilling  story,  for  exam- 
ple (p.  317),  may  be  taken  as  apocryphal.  That  of  the 
*  Surgeon's  Assistant '  (p.  325)  has  not  been  verified  by  me. 
'The  Rescue'  (p.  333)  came  to  me,  thirty  years  after  it 
happened,  at  second  hand.  Rutin  these  and  in  all  similar 
examples  throughout  the  book,  where  the  nature  of  the 
case  did  not  admit  of  evidence  at  first  hand,  I  have  speci- 
ally  called  the  attention  of  the  reader  to  that  fact.  Nor, 
if  one  or  more  uf  these  stories  should  prove  to  be  without 


332  THE  MISSING   LINK 

foundation,  would  it  be  just,  for  that  cause,  to  discredit 
the  others.  The  ' ex  uno  discs  omnes*  argument  is  not 
applicable  here.  Each  narrative  ought  to  be  judged  inde- 
pendently, by  its  own  evidence.  It  is  a  sound  maxim  in 
law,  that  the  superfluous  does  not  invalidate  the  essen- 
tial. 

t;  I  may  add  that,  if  in  one  example  I  have  negligently 
omitted  corroborative  inquiries,  I  am  not  in  the  habit  of 
sparing  pains  to  authenticate  a  narrative.  You  imagine 
that  I  have  been  satisfied  with  the  reports  in  Spiritual 
papers  about  the  '  Electric  girl.'  I  spent  a  week  in  Paris 
in  procuring  the  original  documents  in  that  case  and  em- 
bodying them  in  my  narrative.  A  small  portion  onty  of 
these  is  contained  in  the  '  Comptes  Rendus.'  The  authen- 
tic details  have  never  yet  been  given. to  the  American 
public.  They  are  of  great  interest  in  a  scientific  point  of 
view. 

"  You  assume  that  such  men  as  Arago  regard  clairvoy- 
ance as  mere  trickery.  Arago,  in  1853,  expressly  said 
('  Footfalls,'  p.  23)  that  '  somnambulism  ought  not  to  be 
rejected  a  priori,  especially  by  those  who  have  kept  up 
with  the  progress  of  modern  science ; '  and  he  admitted 
('  Footfalls,'  p.  68)  that  '  psychology  may  one  day  obtain  a 
place  among  the  exact  sciences.'  Cuvier  went  further. 
He  conceded  ('  Footfalls,'  p.  68)  the  principle  lying  at  the 
base  of  Mesmerism. 

"  Inasmuch  as  my  book  treats  only  of  spontaneous  phe- 
nomena, not  of  those  that  are  evoked,  I  have  therein  said 
nothing  of  the  Foxes,  except  in  connection  with  the  nar- 
rative of  what,  in  the  olden  time,  would  have  been  called 
the  '  haunted  house '  of  Hydesville  ;  one  of  a  class  of 
which  I  have  given  numerous  other  older  examples.  ]STo\v, 
however,  having  been  afforded  by  the  sisters  ample  oppor- 
tunity to  investigate  the  rappings  and  other  manifestations 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  333 

alleged  to  occur  in  their  presence,  I  am  ready,  after  warn- 
ing, to  go  farther,  and  to  say  that,  whatever  the  true  char- 
acter of  these  phenomena,  I  see  no  reason  whatever  for 
ascribing  them  to  imposture.  Nothing  came  to  light  in 
the  course  of  this  investigation  other  than  what  bore,  to 
my  mind,  the  impress  of  an  honest  desire  to  be  freed,  by 
rigid  tests  of  fair  dealing,  from  all  blame.  I  never  rest 
my  opinion  of  character  or  motive  upon  report  when  I  can 
have  opportunity  of  personal  verification.  Such  oppor- 
tunity, which  in  this  case  I  believe  you  have  not  had,  I  am 
enabled  now  to  offer  you.  I  am  authorized  by  Mrs.  Un- 
derbill (formerly  Leah  Fox)  and  by  her  husband  (a  gentle- 
man of  Kew  York  who  has  been,  for  seventeen  years, 
secretary  of  one  of  the  principal  insurance  offices  in  Wall 
Street),  to  say  that,  though  Mrs.  Underbill  has  not  for 
some  years  sat  as  a  professional  medium,  and  has  resolved 
not  again  to  do  so,  she  is  willing,  in  the  interests  of  truth, 
to  afford  you,  during  the  university  vacation,  or  at  other 
time  when  your  leisure  serves,  all  reasonable  facilities  for 
strict  investigation. 

"  I  pray  it  may  not  be  understood  that  I  urge  you  to 
accept  this  offer.  I  think,  indeed,  that  such  an  investiga- 
tion is  not  unworthy  either  of  your  character  or  of  mine. 
But  I  am  no  propagandist;  and  I  have  observed  that  if 
there  be  nothing  within  which  moves  us  to  undertake  such 
inquiries,  they  seldom  afford  satisfaction  or  eventuate  in 
useful  results. 

"  You  speak  of  my  book  as  'ill-judged  and  mischievous,' 
as  'furnishing  aid  to  hosts  of  deceivers,'  and  you  think  it, 
kin  the  present  state  of  intellectual  and  moral  disorder' 
on  trie  subjects  of  which  it  treats,  '  peculiarly  dangerous.' 

"Truth,  unless  prematurely  urged  (John  wi.  L2),  is 
never  ill-judged  or  mischievous.  1  did  not  go  in  eearch  of 
this  subject.     It  came  up  in   the  course  of  human  events. 


334  THE   MISSING   LINK 


and  doubtless  at  the  proper  time  and  for  a  good  purpose.  I 
found  it  already  controlling  the  belief  of  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands, engaging  the  attention  of  millions.  This,  if  it  pre- 
sented no  other  claims,  appeared  to  me  to  entitle  it,  before 
judgment  pronounced,  to  diligent  and  respectful  inquiry. 
Thus  inquiring,  I  perceived,  as  you  have  done,  '  intellect- 
ual and  moral  disorders'  not  unfrequently  following  in  the 
train  of  its  influence ;  yet,  looking  at  it  more  closely,  I  be- 
came convinced  that  it  produced  good  as  well  as  evil. 

"Surveying  the  ground  further,  I  found  the  arena  occu- 
pied chiefly  by  partisans ;  some  of  these  (shall  I  include 
yourself  V)  denying  the  good ;  others,  in  their  hasty  enthu- 
siasm, overlooking  the  evil.  The  former  seemed  to  me  to 
forget  that  it  is  not  by  despising  error  that  we  correct  it ; 
the  latter,  that  the  new  and  the  untried  often  run  into 
error  and  extravagance. 

"  Desiring,  after  twenty  years  of  public  life,  some  more 
tranquil  and  philosophical  field  of  labor,  I  discovered  none 
which  appeared  to  promise  more  useful  results  than  this. 
If,  as  you  allege,  '  all  the  phenomena  are  due  to  two,  and 
only  two  sources — delusion  and  imposture,'  these  should 
be  detected  and  exploded,  as  by  carefully  prosecuted  re- 
searches every  delusion  and  every  imposture  can  be.  If, 
as  I  believe,  there  be  a  foundation  of  truth  underlying 
them,  still  there  is  imperative  demand  for  the  exercise  of 
prudence  and  the  precautions  of  due  regulation.  Lacking 
these,  a  source  of  good  may  eventuate  in  evil.  Even  if 
the  phenomena,  wisely  followed  up,  may  elevate  morality 
and  fortify  religion,  yet  if  these  marvels  are  permitted  to 
spread  among  us  without  chart  or  compass  whereby  to 
steer  our  course  through  an  unexplored  ocean  of  mystery, 
we  may  find  ourselves  at  the  mercy  of  very  sinister  influ- 
ences. 

"As  to  the  general  question  at  issue  between  yourself 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  335 

and  me,  you  admit  the  reality  of  Spiritual  influences  di- 
rectly exerted  by  God  upon  human  intelligence'     So  Ear 

as,  from  the  Creator's  work,  we  may  judge  His  modes  of 
action,  these  are  mediate  and  by  ministering  agencies,  not 
l>y  direct  intervention.  Why,  then,  should  we  regard  the 
hypothesis  of  Spiritual  interposition  (Hebrews  i.  14j  as  a 
baseless  superstition  ? 

"  You  further  admit  the  occurrence,  though  onlv  in 
Christ's  day,  of  Spiritual  intercourse.  But  a  dispassionate 
survey  of  the  economy  of  the  universe  tends  to  the  convic- 
tion that  no  great  law  of  action  ever  shows  itself,  for  a 
brief  season,  thereafter  to  disappear  forever.  And  Script- 
ure, instead  of  thus  restricting  Spiritual  phenomena,  in- 
timates (Mark  xvi.  17,  18)  their  continuance. 

"  Guided  by  such  general  views,  I  published  '  Footfalls.' 
Its  prompt  sale  and  its  favorable  reception  have  been  my 
least  rewards.  Tokens  of  sympathy  and  of  gratitude  con- 
tain the  greater.  A  mother,  deprived  by  death  of  her 
favorite  child,  and  refusing  to  be  comforted  because  he 
was  not,  confesses  that  she  has  been  indebted  to  its  pages 
for  healthy  and  hopeful  views  of  death,  renovated  spirits, 
courage  to  labor  and  to  wait.  A  sceptic  into  whose  hands 
the  volume  fell  a  few  weeks  before  his  decease,  requests 
that,  after  he  is  gone,  I  may  be  informed  that  to  that  vol- 
ume, and  especially  to  its  chapter  on  the '  Change  at  Death,' 
he  owed  the  revolution  of  a  life's  opinions,  and  the  first 
consolatory  conviction  which  had  ever  reached  him  that 
there  was  a  fairer  and  a  better  world  toward  which  he  was 
fast  hastening. 

••  •  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them,'  said  the  great 
Author  of  our  religion.  Do  not  fruits  like  these  indicate 
a  good  tree?  And  if  the  chief  narratives  contained  in 
my  book  may  be  trusted,  what  are  their  teachings  ?  That 
not  an  effort  to  store  our  minds  or  school  our  hearts,  made 


336  THE   MISSING   LINK 

here  in  time,  but  has  its  result  and  its  reward  hereafter  in 
eternity.  "  But  what  motive  to  exertion  in  good  can  he 
proposed  to  man  more  powerful  than  such  an  assurance  ? 

"  These  are  my  reasons  for  still  believing,  notwithstand- 
ing your  opinion  of  my  work,  that  it  is  of  wholesome  tend- 
ency. 

"  Time,  the  great  teacher,  will  decide  between  us.  Ten 
years — probably  less — will  see  the  question  determined 
whether  the  Spiritual  hypothesis  is  destined  to  grow  in 
favor  and  assume  station  as  a  reality,  or  to  sink  into  dis- 
credit, as  a  mere  figment  of  the  brain.  I  am  content  to 
bide  the  event. 

"  Meanwhile,  following  my  convictions  of  the  useful,  I 
propose  next  year  (unless  ere  then  I  pass  to  another  phase 
of  existence  where  much  that  is  now  obscure  will  doubt- 
less be  made  plain)  to  follow  up  my  first  work  by  another; 
and  therein  I  purpose  to  examine  what  I  have  not  yet 
touched  upon;  namely,  the  progress  and  character  of  what 
go  by  the  name  of  'Spiritual  manifestations.'  I  purpose 
to  investigate  first  their  verity,  then  their  influence;  to  in- 
quire under  what  aspects  they  have  proved  injurious,  and 
under  what  beneficial  to  mankind  ;  how  far  they  may  be 
usefully  prosecuted,  and  at  what  point  they  become  prej- 
udicial or  unsafe. 

"  This  second  volume,  like  the  first,  shall  contain  many 
materials,  some  suggestions,  few  opinions.  On  such  a  sub- 
ject as  this,  dogmatism,  whether  in  affirming  or  denying, 
is  unpardonable.  There  is,  perhaps,  no  human  inquiry,  as 
to  which  Bacon's  wise  aphorism  is  more  applicable :  '  If  a 
man  will  begin  with  certainties,  he  shall  end  in  doubts  ; 
but  if  he  will  be  content  to  begin  with  doubts,  he  shall  end 
in  certainties.' 

"  If  even  the  opinions  and  suggestions  I  may  offer  should 
fail  in  accuracy,  the  materials  will  remain  valuable,  if  care 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  337 

and  industry  may  avail  judiciously  to  select  tliem.  From 
these  each  reader  can  deduce  his  own  conclusions  ;  and 
thus,  perhaps,  such  incidental  puzzles  as  the  seeming  in- 
vestment with  clothing  of  apparitions  may  be  relieved 
from  the  imputation  of  absurdity,  if  they  do  not  find  full 
solution. 

''A  word,  in  conclusion,  as  to  the  alleged  abandonment 
of  what  is  called  Spiritualism  by  certain  persons  named  by 
you.  You  adduce  the  reported  defection  of  such  seceders 
as  conclusive  argument  against  the  cause  they  desert.  But 
it  proves  nothing,  except,  perhaps,  that  one  extreme  often 
results  in  its  opposite.  If  these  men,  forsaking  common 
sense,  ran  off  into  wild  extravagance,  little  wonder  that 
they  repented.  And  if  their  case  be  otherwise,  their  se- 
cession, if  secede  they  did,  has  still  no  weight.  Weak  men 
adopt  opinions,  and  again  discard  them,  alike  on  insufficient 
evidence.  We  sometimes  turn  back,  confused,  in  the  very 
path  of  progress.  Du  Fay,  the  discoverer  of  the  fact  that 
there  are  two  kinds  or  states  of  electricity,  repudiated  his 
own  brilliant  discovery. 

"  I  am,  my  dear  sir, 
"  Faithfully  yours, 

"  Robert  Dale  Owen. 
"  President  C.  C.  Felton."* 

*  To  this  letter  Prof.  Felton  never  made  any  published  reply.  A  letter 
from  him,  bearing  date  seven  days  after  that  of  Mr.  Owen,  is  before  me 
(or  rather  a  copy  of  it  which  Mr.  Owen  allowed  Mr.  Underbill  to  make) ; 
but,  while  perfectly  civil  and  friendly,  it  bears  on  its  face  the  evidence 
of  a  virtual  prohibition  of  publication,  saying  that  it  was  so  hastily 
written  that  it  was  despatched  without  reperusal,  and  that  his  other 
duties  left  him  no  time  for  public  controversy  on  this  subject.  I  need 
only  say  that  it  was  mainly  made  up  of  slashing  and  sweeping  general- 
ities against  Spiiituali>ni,  which  Mr.  Owen  would  have  had  not  the 
slightest  difficulty  in  confuting— and  in  confuting  so  triumphantly  that 
the  learned  Greek  professor  of  Harvard  would  not  have  had  a  rag  left 
to  cover  the  nakedness  of  the  "  absardum  "  to  which  he  would  have  been 
22 


338  THE   MISSING   LINK 


I  may  add  that  Mr.  Owen,  in  the  summer  of  1859,  while 
residing  with  us,  engaged  upon  his  first  book  (the  "Foot- 
falls "),  obtained  the  willing  consent  of  Mr.  Underbill  and 
myself,  to  invite  Prof.  Felton  to  come  and  accept  the  hos- 
pitality of  our  home  at  232  W.  37th  Street,  for  a  fortnight 
or  as  much  shorter  or  longer  a  period  as  be  might  favor  us 
with  his  stay ;  as  a  means  of  receiving  daily  and  hourly 
evidences  of  all  he  should  like  to  investigate.  Prof.  Felton 
declined  the  invitation.  The  invitation  proved  at  least  our 
willingness  to  submit  to  such  an  exhaustive  investigation. 
"What  disposition  its  non-acceptance  indicated  on  the  other 
side,  in  regard  to  a  question  which  is  confessedly  one  of 
supremest  vital  importance  to  all  mankind,  it  is  not  for  me 
to  say,  but  rather  to  leave  to  the  judgment  of  those  who 
may  do  me  the  honor  of  being  my  readers. 

reduced  by  Owen's  superior  brain  and  pen.  A  further  appeal  against  pub- 
lication was  clearly  involved  in  a  remark  that  he  contemplated  some 
future  publication  of  a  volume  on  the  subject.  Mr.  Owen  therefore 
could  do  no  more  than  await  the  promised  volume,  but  the  purpose  was 
never  carried  into  effect ;  which  is  much  to  be  regretted,  since  its  non- 
appearance costs  to  the  literature  of  Spiritualism  a  third  volume  (this 
time  controversial),  which  would  have  constituted  a  precious  sequel  to 
Mr.  Owen's  two  great  works,  the  "  Footfalls  on  the  Boundary  of  another 
World,"  and  "  The  Debatable  Land."  The  two  gentlemen  (both  of 
whom  I  knew)  have  now  passed  beyond  that  Boundary,  and  beyond  all 
further  Debate  about  that  Land,  where  we  shall  all  soon  find  them,  I 
doubf  not,  now  excellent  friends  to  the  cause  of  Spiritualism,  as  well 
as  to  each  other. — Ed. 


IX    MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  339 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

EXPERIENCES    OF    ROBERT     DALE     OWEN  THROUGH 
THE  MEDIUMSHIP  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 

Moving  a  Ledge  of  Rock  on  the  Sea-shoke — Raps  ox  the 
Water,  and  in  the  Living  Wood— Seeing  the  Raps — Mov- 
ing Ponderable  Bodies  by  Occult  Agency — CfiUCTAL  Test— 
A  Heavy  Dinner-table  Suspended  ln  the  Air  by  Occult 
Agency. 

I  will  here  introduce  some  interesting  extracts  from  Rob- 
ert Dale  Owen,  relating  to  some  of  his  personal  experiences 
with  me,  which  will  speak  for  themselves  : 


MOVING    A    LEDGE    OF    ROCK    OX    THE    SEA-SnORE. 

"  On  the  twenty-fourth  of  August,  1861, 1  accepted  an  in- 
vitation, from  Mr.  Samuel  B.  Underhill,  of  New  Rochelle, 
a  sea-side  village  on  the  shore  of  Long  Island  Sound,  to 
spend  the  next  day  with  him,  in  company  with  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Underhill  (their  near  relatives). 

"  On  the  afternoon  of  August  25,  Mr.  S.  B.  Underhill 
drove  us  out  in  his  carriage,  through  the  picturesque  coun- 
try adjoining  the  village  ;  the  party  consisting  of  Mr.  S.  J]. 
Underhill  and  his  wife,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  D.  Underhill,  and 
myself.* 

"  In  the  course  of  the  drive,  coming  near  the  shore  of  the 
Sound,  at  a  point  where  there  were  long  ledges  of  rock 
.-hinting  down  into  the  water,  it  suddenly  suggested  itself 

*  Mrs.  S.  B.  Underhill  was  a  sister  of  my  husband,  and  a  full  believer 
in  Spiritualism.  There  was  no  relationship  between  Mr.  S.  B.  and  Mr. 
1>.  Underhill.  It  had  simply  happened  that  his  sister  had  married  a 
gentleman  of  her  own  name  with  whom  she  had  no  tie  of  kin. 


340  THE   MISSING   LINK 

to  me  that  here  was  an  excellent  opportunity  for  a  crucial 
test.  I  inquired  of  Mrs.  Underhill  if  she  had  ever  tried  to 
obtain  raps  on  the  seashore.   '  No,'  she  said  ;  she  never  had. 

'" Do  you  think  we  can  get  them  here?'  I  asked.  'I 
have  never  found  any  place  where  they  could  not  be  had,' 
she  replied  ;  '  so  I  dare  say  we  can.'  Thereupon  there 
were  three  raps — the  conventional  sign  of  assent — from 
the  bottom  of  the  carriage. 

"  So  wre  drove  down  to  the  beach,  and  got  out  to  test  the 
matter.  The  portion  of  rock  whither  we  repaired  was  not 
an  isolated  block,  detached  from  the  rest,  but  part  of  a 
large,  flat  mass  of  rock,  covering  at  least  half  an  acre,  and 
running  back  into  a  bluff  bank  that  rose  beyond  it ;  there 
were  also  several  underlying  ledges.  We  were  about 
thirty  feet  from  the  sea  and,  as  there  was  a  moderate 
breeze,  the  surf  broke  on  the  rocks  below  ns. 

"But  yet,  standing  on  the  ledge  beside  Mrs.  Underhill, 
and  asking  for  the  raps,  I  heard  them  quite  distinctly  above 
the  noise  produced  by  the  surf.  This  was  several  times 
repeated,  with  the  same  result. 

"Then  Mrs.  Underhill  and  Mrs.  S.  B.  Underhill  sat 
down,  and  I,  stepping  on  a  lower  ledge,  laid  my  ear  on  the 
ledge  on  which  the  ladies  were  sitting  and  repeated  my  re- 
quest. In  a  few  seconds  the  raps  were  heard  by  me  from 
within  the  substance  of  the  rock  and  immediately  beneath 
my  ear. 

"  I  then  sought  to  verify  the  matter  by  the  sense  of 
touch.  Placing  my  hand  on  the  same  ledge,  a  few  feet 
from  Mrs.  Underhill,  and  asking  for  the  raps,  when  these 
came  audibly,  I  felt,  simultaneously  with  each  rap,  a  slight 
but  unmistakably  distinct  vibration  or  concussion  of  the 
rock.  It  was  sufficiently  marked  to  indicate  to  me  a  rap, 
once  or  twice,  when  a  louder  roll  of  the  surf  for  a  moment 
drowned  the  sound. 


IN   MODERN"   SPIRITUALISM.  341 

••  Without  making  any  remark  as  to  what  I  felt,  I  asked 
Mr.  U.  to  put  his  band  on  the  ledge.  '  Why  ! '  he  suddenly 
exclaimed,  'the  whole  rock  vibrates!'  During  all  this 
time  Mrs.  Underbill  sat,  as  far  as  I  could  judge,  in  com- 
plete repose." — "  Debatable  Land,"  p.  346. 

II. 

EAPS    ON   THE   WATER    AND    IX   THE    LIVING   WOOD. 

"On  the  tentb  of  July,  1861,  I  joined  a  few  friends  in 
an  excursion  from  the  city  of  New  York,  by  steamboat,  to 
the  Highlands  of  Neversink  ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Underbill  being 
of  the  party. 

"It  occurred  to  me,  while  sitting  on  deck  by  Mrs.  Un- 
derbill, to  ask  if  we  could  have  the  raps  there.  Instantly 
they  were  distinctly  heard,  first  from  the  deck,  and  then  I 
heard  them,  and  quite  plainly  felt  them,  on  the  wooden 
stool  on  which  I  sat.  In  the  afternoon  our  party  went  out 
in  a  sailing  boat,  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  long.  There,  again 
at  my  suggestion,  we  bad  them,  sounding  from  under  tbe 
floor  of  the  boat.  It  bad  a  centre-board,  or  sliding  keel, 
and  we  had  raps  from  within  the  long,  narrow  box  that 
inclosed  it.  At  any  part  of  this  box  where  we  called  for 
tbe  raps,  we  obtained  them. 

"In  tbe  evening  we  ascended  a  bill,  back  of  tbe  hotel, 
to  the  Highland  light-house.  In  returning  and  passing 
through  a  wood  on  the  hill-side,  I  proposed  to  try  if  we 
could  have  raps  from  tbe  ground ;  and  immediately  I 
plainly  heard  them  from  beneath  the  ground  on  which  we 
trod:  it  was  a  dull  sound,  as  of  blows  struck  on  the  earth. 
Then  I  asked  .Mrs.  Underbill  to  touch  one  of  the  trees  with 
the  tips  of  her  fingers,  and,  applying  my  ear  to  the  tree,  I 
heard  the  raps  from  beneath  the  bark.  Other  persons  of 
our  party  verified  this  as  1  had  done. 


342  THE   MISSING   LINK 

"  In  returning,  next  morning,  on  another  steamer,  we 
had  raps  on  the  hand-rail  of  the  upper  promenade  deck, 
and  also  from  within  a  small  metal  boat  that  was  turned 
upside  down,  on  the  deck  below. 

"  Notes  of  these  experiments  were  taken  immediately 
on  my  return  to  Kew  York." — Owen's  "  Debatable  Land,*' 
p.  345. 

III. 

SEEING    THE   RAPS. 

u  It  was  during  an  evening  session  at  Mr.  Underbill's, 
February  22,  1860.  Besides  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Underbill, 
Kate  Fox,  and  myself,  there  were  present  Mr.  Underbill's 
aged  father  and  mother ;  venerable  examples  of  the  plain, 
primitive  Quakers,  both  of  whom  took  the  deepest  interest 
in  the  proceedings. 

"  By  request,  through  the  raps,  the  gas  was  extinguished 
and  we  joined  hands. 

"  Very  soon  lights  were  seen  floating  about  the  room, 
apparently  phosphorescent.  At  first  they  were  small,  just 
visible,  but  gradually  they  became  larger,  attaining  the  size 
and  general  outline  of  hands  ;  but  1  could  not  distinguish 
any  ringers.  These  lights  usually  showed  themselves  first 
behind  and  between  Leah  and  Kate,  near  the  floor.  Then 
they  rose ;  sometimes  remaining  near  Leah's  head,  some- 
times near  her  sister's.  One  of  them  was  nearly  as  large 
as  a  human  head.  Xone  of  these  touched  me,  though  one 
approached  within  a  few  inches.  Another  made  circles  in 
the  air  just  above  our  heads.  After  floating  about  for  a 
brief  space,  they  usually  seemed  to  return  either  to  Leah 
or  Kate. 

"  AVhile  the  hands  of  the  circle  remained  joined,  I  looked 
under  the  table  *  and  saw  lights,  as  many  as  ten  or  twelve 

*  This  is  literally  exact  that  Mr.  Owen  "looked  under  the  table,"  but 
it  omits  to  say  hoic  ;  and  I  the  more  readily  supply  that  omission,  be- 


IN    MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  343 


times,  on  or  near  the  floor,  and  moving  about.  Once,  while 
I  was  looking  intently  at  such  a  light,  about  as  large  as  a 
small  list,  it  rose  and  fell,  as  a  hammer  would  with  which 
one  was  striking  against  the  floor.  At  each  stroke  a  loud 
rap  was  heard  in  connection.  It  was  exactly  as  if  cm  in- 
visible June!  held  <m  iUummated  hammer  and  pounded 
with  it.  Then,  desiring  conscious  proof  of  what  I  saw 
was  not  by  human  agency,  I  asked  meniaUy,  '  Will  the 
Spirit  strike  with  that  light  three  times  ? '  which  was  done 
forthwith ;  and  then,  after  an  interval,  repeated. 

k>  When,  a  second  time,  the  light  was  seen  and  I  was 
noticing  the  corresponding  sounds,  some  one  said,  '  Can 
you  make  it  softer  ? ' 

k- Almost  instantly  I  saw  the  light  diminish  and  strike 
the  floor,  at  intervals,  with  a  soft  and  muffled  sound,  just 
distinguishable."—"  Debatable  Land,"  p.  343. 

IV. 

MOVING    PONDERABLE   BODIES   BY   OCCULT   AGENCY. 

"  '  "When  they  came  to  Jordan,  they  cut  down  wood.  But 
as  one  was  felling  a  beam,  the  axe  head  fell  into  the  water  ; 
and  he  cried,  and  said  (to  Elisha),  '  Alas,  master  ! '  for  it 
was  borrowed.     And  the  man  of  God  said,  '  "Where  fell 

cause  he  himself,  after  his  hook  was  published,  expressed  regret  that, 
in  his  cultivation  of  brevity,  he  had  not  explained  himself  more  fully. 
To  speak  of  having  looked  under  a  table  rather  BOggests  the  idea  of 
having  stooped  down  for  that  purpose.  The  following  was  exactly  the 
way  in  which  it  passed.  Mr.  Owen  desired  to  look  under  it  and  thought 
of  so  doing,  when  the  table,  which  was  m;  extt  ttslmi-tiiU, ,  opened  itself, 
its  two  halves  being  drawn  apart,  so  as  to  enable  him  to  see  throng!)  as 
well  as  nnder  it,  through  the  wide  opening  thus  made— evidently  by 
the  Spirits  who  had  seen  his  thought.  As  this  was  a  distinct  phenomenal 
fact  land  one  not  without  its  interest)  Mr.  Owen  regretted  afterward  that 
he  had  not  stated  it  precisely  as  it  had  occurred. 


344  THE   MISSING   LINK 


il  V  And  he  showed  him  the  place.  And  he  cut  down 
a  stick,  and  cast  it  thither ;  and  the  iron  did  swim/  (2 
Kings  vi.  4-6.) 

"The  raising  from  the  ground  of  weighty  substances,  or 
the  moving  of  these  from  place  to  place,  is  one  of  the  most 
common,  and  must  easily  verified,  of  physical  manifesta- 
tions. I  have  elsewhere  given  many  examples  of  it.  (See 
'  Footfalls  on  the  Boundary  of  Another  World.')  Here  I 
shall  add  but  two  or  three  out  of  the  numerous  cases  that 
have  come  under  my  eye  during  Spiritual  sessions. 

"  A  most  satisfactory  test  of  the  power,  by  occult  agency, 
to  raise  ponderous  substances  was  suggested  to  me  by  that 
practical  thinker,  the  late  Robert  Chambers,  the  well- 
known  author  and  publisher,  during  his  visit  to  the  United 
States,  in  the  autumn  of  1S60 ;  and  we  carried  it  out  on 
the  thirteenth  of  October  of  that  year. 

"  On  the  evening  of  that  day  we  had  a  sitting  in  Mrs. 
Underbill's  dining-room  ;  there  being  present  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Underbill,  Kate  Fox,  Mr.  Chambers,  and  myself. 
In  this  room  we  found  an  extension  dinner-table  of  solid 
mahogany,  capable  of  seating  fourteen  persons.  This  we 
contracted  to  the  form  of  a  centre-table,  and,  having  pro- 
cured a  large  steelyard,  we  found  that  it  weighed  in  that 
form  a  hundred  and  twenty-one  pounds.  We  suspended 
this  table  by  the  steelyard,  in  exact  equipoise  and  about 
eight  inches  from  the  floor.  Then  we  sat  down  by  it ; 
and  while  our  experiment  proceeded,  Mrs.  Underbill  sat 
with  the  points  of  both  feet  touching  one  of  mine  and 
Kate  in  the  same  relation  to  Mr.  Chambers.  This  was 
done  at  their  suggestion,  so  as  to  afford  us  proof  that  they 
had  no  physical  agency  in  the  matter.  Their  hands  were 
over  the  table,  near  the  top,  but  not  touching  it.  There 
was  bright  gas-light.     Thus  we  were  able  to  obtain  a 


IN    MODERN    SPIRITUALISM.  346 


CRUCIAL   TEST, 

the  table  remaining  suspended,  with  the  constant  weight 
at  the  figure  of  121.  We  asked  that  it  might  be  made 
lighter.  In  a  few  seconds  the  long  arm  ascended.  We 
moved  the  weight  to  the  figure  100 :  it  still  ascended ; 
then  to  SO ;  then  to  60.  Even  at  this  last  figure  the 
smaller  arm  of  the  steelyard  was  somewhat  depressed, 
showing  that  the  table,  for  the  moment,  weighed  less  than 
sixty  pounds.  It  had  lost  more  than  half  its  weight, 
namely,  upward  of  sixty-one  pounds.  In  other  words 
there  was  a  power  equal  to  sixty-one  pounds  sustaining  it. 
Then  we  asked  that  it  might  be  made  heavier ;  and  it  was 
so  ;  first,  as  the  figures  indicated,  to  130,  and  finally  to  a 
hundred  and  forty-four  pounds. 

"  The  change  of  weight  continued,  in  each  instance,  from 
three  to  eight  seconds,  as  we  ascertained  by  our  watches; 
and  during  the  whole  time  the  ladies  maintained  the  same 
position  of  feet  and  hands  ;  Mr.  Underbill  not  approaching 
the  table. 

"  We  had  given  Mr.  Underbill  no  notice  of  our  inten- 
tion to  ask  for  this  experiment.  The  heavy  steelyard  "was 
bought  for  the  occasion  from  a  hardware-store  in  the 
neighborhood.  How  much  a  Jewish  axe-head  commonly- 
weighed,  in  the  days  of  Klisha,  I  know  not ;  it  could  be 
but  a  few  pounds.  Our  miracle  (dynamics)  exceeded  that 
of  the  prophet,  as  far  as  regards  the  weight  of  the  body 
that  was  made  lighter.  But  the  Hebrew  seer  was  at  a 
greater  distance  from  the  object  raised  than  were  our 
mediums.  On  the  evening  just  preceding  that  on  which 
we  tried  the  above  experiment  I  had  a  sitting  at  Mr.  Un- 
derbill's, with  very  satisfactory  result." 


34G  THE   MISSING   LINK 


A    HEAVY   DINNER-TABLE    SUSPENDED    IN    THIS   AIR    WITHOUT 
CONTACT. 

"Our  session  was  on  the  evening  of  October  12,  1860, 
lasting  from  half-past  nine  till  eleven.*  It  was  held  in  the 
same  room  and  at  the  same  table  before  mentioned,  and 
by  gas-light.  Present,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Underbill,  Kate  Fox, 
Mr.  Harrison  Gray  Dyer,  of  New  York,  and  myself.  We 
had  very  loud  rappings,  from  various  parts  of  the  room 
and  on  the  chairs.  Then,  while  our  hands  were  on  the 
table,  it  began  to  move,  sometimes  with  a  rotary  motion, 
sometimes  rising  up  on  one  side,  until  finally  it  rose  from 
the  floor  all  but  one  leg.  Then  we  sought  to  induce  it  to 
rise  entirely  from  the  floor.  After  (what  seemed)  strenu- 
ous efforts,  almost  successful,  to  rise,  we  aided  it  by  each 
putting  a  single  finger  under  it ;  and,  with  this  slight  as- 
sistance, it  rose  into  the  air  and  remained  suspended  dur- 
ing six  or  seven  seconds. 

"  After  a  time  we  asked  whether,  if  we  removed  our  fin- 
gers from  the  table-top,  while  it  was  in  the  air,  it  could 
still  remain  suspended ;  and  the  reply  (by  rapping)  being 
in  the  affirmative,  after  aiding  it  to  rise  as  before,  we  with- 
drew our  fingers  entirely,  raising  them  above  it.  The 
table  then  remained,  nearly  level,  suspended  without  any 
human  support  whatever,  during  the  space  of  five  or  six 
seconds;  and  then  gradually  settled  down,  without  jar  or 
sudden  dropping,  to  the  floor. 

"  Then,  anxious  to  advance  a  step  further,  we  asked  if  the 
table  could  not  be  raised  from  the  floor  without  any  aid 
or  contact  whatever.     The  reply  being  in  the  affirmative, 


*  We  found,  by  repeated  trials,  that  our  experiments  succeeded 
Letter  when  we  sat  at  a  late  hour,  after  the  servants  had  gone  to  bed, 
whim  the  house  and  the  streets  were  quiet. 


IN    KODERH    SPIKITUALISlf.  347 


we  stood  up  and  placed  all  our  hands  over  it,  at  the  dis- 
tance of  three  or  four  inches  from  the  table-top :  when  it 
rose  of  itself,  following  our  hands  as  we  gradually  raised 
them,  till  it  hung  in  the  air  about  the  same  distance  from 
the  floor  as  before.  There  it  remained  six  or  seven  sec- 
onds, preserving  its  horizontal,  and  almost  as  steady  as 
when  it  rested  on  the  ground  ;  then  it  slowly  descended, 
still  preserving  the  horizontal,  until  the  feet  reached  the 
carpet.     As  before,  there  was  no  jar  or  sudden  dropping. 

"  The  same  experiment  was  repeated  next  evening  in  the 
presence  of  Robert  Chambers,  after  we  had  completed  our 
tests  with  the  steelyard  ;  and  with  exactly  the  same  re- 
sults. At  first,  as  before,  we  raised  it  on  our  fingers  ; 
then,  withdrawing  them,  it  remained  in  the  air  six  or  seven 
seconds.  On  the  second  trial  it  rose  entirely  without  con- 
tact, remaining  suspended  for  about  the  same  space.  It 
should  here  be  remarked  that  we  were  in  the  habit,  during 
these  experiments,  of  moving  the  table  to  different  pints 
of  the  room,  and  of  looking  finder  it  from  time  to  time. 

"  Upon  the  whole  I  consider  this  moving  of  physical  ob- 
jects to  be  as  conclusively  established,  in  its  ultramundane 
aspect,  as  the  Spirit  rap.  A  hundred  and  twenty  pound 
dinner-table  is  no  trifle  to  lift.  The  conditions  exclude 
the  possibility  of  concealed  machinery.  And  by  what 
conceivable  bodily  effort,  undetectable  by  watchful  by- 
standers, can  two  or  three  assistants  heave  from  the 
j  round,* maintain  in  the  air,  and  then  drop  slowly  to  the 
floor,  so  ponderous  a  weight,  with  their  hands  the  while 
in  full  view,  under  broad  gas-light  I  Xo  one  in  his  senses, 
and  believing  in  his  senses,  can  witness  what  I  have  wit- 

sed,  and  yet  remain  a  sceptic  in  this  matter.'' — "  Debata- 
ble Land,"  p.  3G1. 


34S  THE    MlSSIXfi    LINK 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

EXPERIENCES  OF  THE  AUTHOR  WITH  ROBERT  DALE 
OWEN  (Continued). 


.AN   EVENTFUL    HOUR   WITH    LEAH    FOX    UNDERBILL — A    GnOST 

SPEAKS. 

"  It  was  on  the  evening  of  Sunday,  the  twenty -first  of  Oc- 
tober, I860.  The  sitting  was  held  in  Mr.  Underbill's 
dining-room,  lasting  from  ten  till  eleven  o'clock  r.M. 

"  The  room  was  lighted  by  gas.  There  were  two  win- 
dows fronting  the  street ;  three  doors :  one  opening  on  a 
corridor  whence  a  staircase  ascended  to  the  next  floor,  an- 
other opening  on  a  short  passage  leading  to  the  kitchen, 
the  third,  the  door  of  a  pantry  in  which  were  crockery  and 
various  other  articles,  including  a  barrel  of  loaf-sugar 
in  one  corner. 

"  Before  we  had  any  demonstrations  the  raps  requested 
us  to  wait  until  the  domestics  had  retired.  There  were 
two  servant  girls  in  the  kitchen,  whom  Mrs.  Underbill 
sent  up  stairs  to  bed,  so  tbat  everything  was  profoundly 
still  on  that  floor  of  the  house.  Then  we  fastened  the  in- 
side blinds  of  both  windows,  so  as  to  exclude  all  light  from 
the  street. 

"  Before  commencing  the  session,  at  Mr.  Underbill's  re- 
quest,  I  shut  and  locked  the  three  doors  above  referred  to, 
leaving  tbe  keys  in  the  doors,  so  that  no  one,  even  if  fnr- 
nished  with  keys,  could  open  them  from  without.  I  satis- 
fied  myself  by  careful  personal  inspection  of  the  furniture, 
and  otherwise,  that  there  was  no  one  in  the  pantry,  nor 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  349 


any  one  in  the  dining-room  except  the  three  persons  who, 
along  with  myself,  assisted  at  the  sitting.  These  persons 
were  Mr.  Daniel  Underhill,  Mrs.  Underhill  (Leah  Fox), 
and  her  nephew,  Charles,  twelve  years  old.  We  sat  down 
to  a  centre-table,  three  feet  eleven  inches  in  diameter,  of 
black  walnut,  and  without  table-cover.  (I  had  previously 
looked  under  it ;  nothing  to  be  seen  there.)  •  The  gas- 
bnrner  was  immediately  over  it.  I  sat  on  the  east  side  of 
the  table,  Mr.  Underhill  opposite  to  me,  Mrs.  Underhill 
on  my  left  hand,  and  Charles  on  the  right.  There  was  no 
fire  in  the  room. 

"The  rappings  commenced,  gradually  increasing  in  num- 
ber and  force.  After  a  short  interval  they  spelled,  '  Put 
out  the  gas.'  It  was  accordingly  extinguished  and  the 
room  remained  in  total  darkness.  Then  'Join  hands.' 
Shortly  after  doing  so  I  felt,  several  times,  a  cool  breeze 
blowing  on  my  cheek.  Then  was  spelled,  '  Do  not  break 
the  circle.'  We  obeyed  ;  and,  except  for  a  second  or  two 
at  a  time,  it  remained,  on  my  part,  unbroken  throughout 
the  rest  of  the  sitting. 

"  After  a  few  minutes  I  perceived  a  light,  apparently  of  a 
phosphorescent  character,  on  my  left,  near  the  floor.  It 
was,  at  first,  of  a  rectangular  form,  with  the  edges  rounded. 
I  judged  it  to  be  about  four  inches  long  and  two  and  a 
half  inches  wide.  It  seemed  like  an  open  palm  illumi- 
nated, but  the  light  which  emanated  from  it  showed  quite 
distinctly  its  entire  surface;  I  could  distinguish  no  fingers. 
For  a  time  it  moved  about  near  the  floor,  then  it  rose  into 
the  air  and  floated  about  the  room,  sometimes  over  our 
heads.  After  a  time  it  changed  its  appearance  and  in- 
creased in  brightness.  It  then  resembled  an  opaque  oval 
substance,  about  the  size  of  a  child's  head,  muffled  up  in 
the  folds  of  some  very  white  and  shining  material,  like 
fine  linen,  only  brighter.     As  it  moved  about,  I  began  to 


350  THE   MISSING   LINK 

hear,  at  first  imperfectly,  afterward  somewhat  more  dis- 
tinctly, the  rustling  as  of  a  silk  dress,  or  of  other  light 
article  of  female  apparel,  giving  the  impression  that  one 
or  more  persons  were  moving  silently  about  the  room. 
Then  the  light  passed  behind  Mrs.  Underbill ;  then  I  saw 
it  close  to  Mr.  Underbill,  and  just  opposite  to  me.  Mr. 
Underbill  said,  '  Can  you  not  go  down  to  Mr.  Owen  ?  do 
try.'  Thereupon  it  moved  slowly  around  to  my  left  side. 
This  time  the  folds  appeared  to  have  dropped,  and  what 
seemed  a  face  (still  covered,  however,  with  a  luminous 
veil)  came  bending  down  within  five  or  six  inches  of  my 
own  face,  as  I  turned  toward  it.  As  it  approached,  I 
plainly  distinguished  the  semi-luminous  outline  of  an  en- 
tire figure  of  the  usual  female  stature.  I  saw,  very  dis- 
tinctly, the  arms  moving.  At  the  lower  extremity  of  its 
right  arm,  as  if  on  the  palm  of  the  hand,  the  figure 
bore  what  seemed  a  rectangular  substance,  about  four 
inches  by  two,  as  nearly  as  I  could  estimate.  This  sub- 
stance was  more  brightly  illuminated  than  the  rest  of  the 
figure.  It  may  have  been  only  the  illuminated  palm,  but 
I  do  not  think  it  was  ;  it  seemed  more  like  a  transparent 
box  with  phosphorescent  light  within  it.  Whatever  it 
was,  the  figure  raised  it  above  its  head,  and  then  passed  it 
slowly  down  close  to  what  seemed  the  face,  and  then  over 
the  upper  part  of  the  body,  as  one  might  pass  a  lantern 
over  any  object,  with  intent  to  make  it  visible.  This  ac- 
tion it  repeated  several  times. 

"  By  aid  of  the  illuminations  thus  afforded  I  saw,  more 
distinctly  than  before,  the  general  form  of  the  face  and 
figure  ;  but  both  appeared  covered  with  a  half-transparent 
veil,  and  I  could  distinguish  no  features ;  nor  were  the  out- 
lines of  the  body,  nor  of  the  limbs,  sharply  defined.  The 
motion  of  the  right  arm  with  the  light  was  the  most 
marked  and  frequent. 


IX   MODERN    SPIRITUALISM.  351 


""While  this  was  taking  place  I  held  Mrs.  Underbill's  hand 
and  Charles's.  As  the  various  phases  of  the  phenomena 
succeeded  each  other,  I  remarked  on  what  I  saw  ;  and  Mr. 
Underbill,  from  the  opposite  side  of  the  table,  responded 
to  my  remarks  ;  so  that  I  am  quite  certain  he  was  seated 
there.  I  expressed  a  wish  that  the  Spirit  would  touch  me, 
and  Mr.  Underhill  said,  from  his  place,  '  We  are  very 
anxious  that  the  Spirit  should  touch  Mr.  Owen,  if  it  can.' 

'•  Thereupon  I  felt  what  seemed  a  human  hand  laid  on  my 
head.  And,  as  I  looked  steadily  at  the  figure,  which  stood 
on  my  left  side,  I  saw  its  head  bend  toward  my  left  shoul- 
der. A  moment  afterward  lfelt,  and  simultaneously  heard, 
just  behind  the  point  of  that  shoulder,  a  kiss  imprinted. 
I  could  not,  for  any  physical  fact,  obtain  the  evidence  of 
three  senses — sight,  touch,  and  hearing — more  distinctly 
than  in  this  case  I  did. 

"  Immediately  afterward  I  saw  this  luminous  body  pass 
behind  me  ;  what  seemed,  by  the  touch,  to  be  hands  gently 
laid  hold  of  both  my  shoulders  and  turned  me  round  to 
the  right.  I  looked  on  that  side  and  the  figure  now  stood 
by  my  right  shoulder. 

••A  fter  pausing  there  for  a  few  seconds,  it  moved  toward 
the  window  furthest  from  me,  and  we  heard  the  sounds 
as  if  some  one  were  attempting  to  open  the  window-blind. 

"  Mr.  Underhill,  from  his  place,  remarked  that  it  would 
probably  be  able  to  effect  this;  for  it  had  done  so  on  a 
previous  occasion.  The  blind  was  in  four  compartments, 
each  of  which  could  be  opened  or  closed  by  raising  or  lower- 
ing a  wire  attached  to  movable  slats.  The  figure  opened 
the  upper  left-hand  quarter  of  the  blind,  so  that  a  faint 
light  shone  in  from  the  street  lamps.  1  was  looking  at  the 
window  when  this  occurred. 

••  Up  to  this  time  the  appearance,  gradually  becoming 
more  luminous,  had  been  in  sight,  moving  about  the  room 


352  THE   MISSING   LINK 


fully  five  minutes.  There  was  not  the  slightest  footfall 
when  it  moved.  My  hearing  is  very  acute  ;  I  listened  for 
every  sound;  and  as,  in  the  intervals  of  conversation,  the 
silence  was  unbroken,  I  could  have  detected  the  fall  of  the 
lightest  footstep. 

"  From  this  time  the  light  which  illuminated  the  figure 
gradually  faded,  and  soon  I  could  no  longer  distinguish 
any  form.  The  slight  rustling  sound,  unaccompanied  by 
footsteps,  still,  however,  continued. 

"  Suddenly  we  heard  a  noise  as  of  the  door  opposite  to  me 
being  unlocked  ;  then  of  its  being  hastily  opened  and  shut ; 
then  the  rustling  sound  approached  me  on  the  left,  and  a 
key  was  laid  on  my  left  hand.  Then  a  second  door  was 
heard  to  be  unlocked  in  the  same  way,  and  1  heard  another 
key  laid  on  the  table  just  before  me.  Then  a  third  door 
(that  of  the  cup-board,  by  the  sound)  was  heard  to  be  un- 
locked and  opened,  and  a  key,  as  if  pitched  over  our  heads, 
was  heard  to  drop  with  a  clatter  on  the  table. 

"  While  this  was  going  on  I  commented,  from  time  to 
time,  on  each  occurrence,  and  received  answers  from  Mr. 
Underbill,  from  his  place  at  the  table  opposite  to  me. 

"  While  we  were  coiiversing,  there  was  a  rattling  of  the 
crockery  in  the  cup-board.  Mrs.  Underbill  expressed  her 
apprehensions  as  to  some  favorite  china,  but  Mr.  Under- 
bill replied,  'I  will  trust  the  Spirits;'  and  then  added, 
1  Cannot  the  Spirit  bring  something  to  Mr.  Owen  ? '  Al- 
most immediately  there  was  set  down  on  the  table,  close  to 
my  left  hand,  some  object  which  I  touched,  and  it  proved 
to  be  a  cut-glass  goblet.  In  setting  it  down,  what  seemed 
a  human  hand  touched  mine,  and  immediately  after- 
ward was  laid  several  times  on  my  shoulder.  I  expressed 
a  desire  that  it  would  distinctly  grasp  my  hand, *to  which 
Mr.  Underbill  responded.  Instantly  a  small  hand,  or  what 
in  touch  resembled  one,  took  hold  of  my  hand  and  grasped 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  353 

it.  Then  it  clasped  my  bare  wrist,  gently  hut  with  a  firm 
grasp  ;  then  my  lower  arm,  then  my  upper  arm  ;  each  time 
with  a  distinct  grasp.  I  could  not  have  distinguished  the 
touch  from  that  of  a  human  hand.  It  was  a  little  cooler 
than  mine,  but  not  disagreeably  so.  There  was  nothing 
chilly  or  clammy  or  otherwise  unpleasant  about  it.  There 
was  after  this,  throughout  the  sitting,  no  sound  whatever 
of  opening  or  closing  doors. 

"  While  it  was  touching  me  thus,  Mr.  Underbill  said, 
'  Can  yon  fill  the  goblet  you  brought  to  Mr.  Owen  with 
water  '.  '  There  was  a  rustling  but  no  footstep,  a  slight 
noise  in  the  pantry,  and  then  the  sound  of  something 
dropped  into  the  goblet ;  but,  putting  my  hand  in,  I  felt 
no  water.  .  In  doing  so  I  broke  the  circle  only  for  a  moment. 
Then,  just  behind  me,  I  heard  a  sound  as  if  the  glass  of 
the  clock  on  the  mantel-piece  were  touched  and  shaken. 

"All  this  time  there  was  no  word  spoken  except  by  those 
at  the  table ;  but,  once  or  twice,  there  was  a  whistling 
sound  in  the  air. 

"  When,  soon  after,  we  were  bidden  by  the  raps  to  relight 
the  gas,  1  found  three  door-keys  on  the  table,  the  goblet 
also,  and  within  it  a  lump  of  loaf-sugar.  Both  the  room 
doors  were  closed,  but  on  trying  them  I  found  that  neither 
was  locked.  Two  of  the  keys  on  the  table  fitted  them. 
The  door  of  the  pantry,  which  the  third  key  fitted,  stood 
open,  and  the  cover  of  the  barrel  of  sugar  was  pushed 
partly  off.  The  left-hand  upper  portion  of  the  blind,  at 
which  we  had  seen  and  heard  the  figure,  was  open. 

"These  are  facts,  all  briefly  noted  down  the  same  even- 
ing on  which  they  happened,  and  written  out  in  full  the 
1 1  <  ■  \  r  morning. 

"  The  allegations,  by  the  raps,'  were  that  the  Spirit 
present  was  that  of  a  daughter  of  Mrs.  Fox,  who  had  died 
young,  and  that  other  Spirits  were  present  (among  them 


364  THE   MISSING   LINK 

an  Indian  Spirit),  aiding  her  to  show  herself  to  onr  circle. 
Emily — that  was  the  girl's  name — had  been  Mrs.  Under- 
bill's favorite  sister,  long  mourned  over,  and  had  lain, 
during  the  last  hour  of  her  life  and  at  the  moment  of  death, 
in  Mrs.  Underbill's  arms.  Mr.  Underhill  stated  to  me 
that  he  had  seen  the  same  Spirit,  as  distinctly,  several 
times  before ;  and  that  he  had  been  able  to  distinguish  the 
features.  He  appeared  also,  on  this  occasion,  to  have  per- 
ceived the  whole  figure,  and  especially  the  features,  more 
distinctly  than  I  did,  though  my  natural  sight  has  always 
been  keen,  and,  except  within  ordinary  reading  distance, 
is  .still  nearly  as  strong  as  it  was  thirty  years  ago.  With 
these  exceptions,  all  present,  so  far  as  I  could  judge  by 
comparing  notes  with  them  during  and  after  the  sitting, 
seemed  to  have  seen  and  heard  the  succession  of  phenomena 
here  described  just  as  I  myself  had  done. 

"Up  to  this  time,  never  having  witnessed  any  such 
phenomena  as  these,  I  had  often  doubted  within  myself 
how  I  should  be  affected  by  witnessing  an  apparition,  or 
what  I  had  reason  to  consider  such. 

"  It  seemed  to  me  that  I  should  experience  no  alarm ; 
but  of  this  in  advance  of  actual  experience,  I  could  not  be 
assured.  Xow  I  know  just  how  far  I  can  trust  my  se]f- 
possession.  Awe  I  undoubtedly  felt — awe  and  intense 
interest ;  but,  in  looking  back  on  my  feelings  throughout 
that  wonder-bringing  hour,  I  feel  certain  that  a  physician 
might  have  placed  his  finger  on  my  wrist,  even  at  the  mo- 
ment when  that  dimly  illuminated  Presence  first  bent  over 
me,  with  scarcely  six  inches  intervening  between  its  veiled 
face  and  mine — its  hands  placed  on  my  head,  its  lips  touch- 
ing my  shoulder — and  not  have  found  the  beatings  of  my 
pulse  unduly  accelerated ;  or  if  he  had  detected  accelera- 
tion, it  could  not,  I  am  very  sure,  have  been  justly  ascribed 
to  any  tremor  or  fear,  but  solely  to  the  natural  effect  of 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  35S 

solemn  and  riveted  expectation.  If  a  man,  under  such 
circumstances,  may  trust  to  his  own  recollections  not  twen- 
ty-four hours  old,  I  can  aver,  on  my  honor,  that  I  was  not, 
at  any  time  while  these  events  were  in  progress,  under 
other  excitement  (though  it  may  be  greater  in  degree)  than 
a  chemist  might  be  supposed  to  experience  while  watching 
the  issue  of  a  long-projected  and  decisive  experiment,  or 
an  astronomer  when  the  culminating  point  of  some  impor- 
tant observation  is  about  to  be  reached. 

"I  beg  it  may  not  be  supposed  that  I  mention  this  as 
boasting  or  courage.  There  was,  in  truth,  nothing  of 
which  to  boast.  The  preceding  and  attendant  circum- 
stances were  such  as  to  preclude  alarm.  I  was  not  alone, 
nor  taken  by  surprise.  I  was  expecting  some  phenomena 
and  hoping  that  they  would  be  of  a  phosphorescent  nature. 
And  though  I  had  not  any  expectation  of  seeing  an  actual 
form,  yet,  as  the  allegation  was  that  a  deceased  sister,  be- 
loved by  one  of  the  assistants,  was  present,  and  as  all  the 
demonstrations  were  gentle  and  seemingly  arranged  by 
friendly  agencies  to  satisfy  my  desire  for"  the  strongest 
evidence  in  proof  of  Spiritual  appearance,  I  was  under 
very  different  circumstances  to  those  which  have  often 
shaken  the  nerves  even  of  the  boldest,  while  encountering 
for  the  first  time  what  is  usually  called  a  ghost. 

"1  state  the  fact  of  my  equanimity,  then,  merely  as  one 
of  the  attendant  circumstances  which  may  be  fairly  taken 
into  account  in  judging  the  testimony  here  supplied  in 
proof  of  the  appearance,  in  visible  and  tangible  form,  of 
an  alleged  Spirit  of  a  deceased  person.  It  is  often  assumed 
that  a  man  who  believes  he  sees  an  apparition  is  (to  use  a 
common  expression)  frightened  out  of  his  senses,  and  so, 
is  not  entitled  to  credit  as  a  witness. 

"  If  it  be  objected  that,  before  the  sitting  closed,  the 
doors  were  unlocked,  I  reply  iirst,  that  all  the  remarkable 


356  THE   MISSING   LINK 

and  interesting  portion  of  the  phenomena  occurred  before 
this  happened,'  and  secondly,  that,  as  the  keys  of  the 
locked  doors  were  left  in  them,  they  could  only  be  opened 
from  the  inside.  If,  in  reply  to  this  last,  it  still  be  urged 
that  Mr.  Underbill,  deserting  his  post  for  a  few  seconds, 
might  have  opened  one  of  the  doors,  I  reply  that  I  hap- 
pened to  be  conversing  with  him  at  the  moment  Ave  first 
heard  the  key  turned.  I  add  that  during  the  next  sitting, 
when  still  more  wonderful  phenomena  occurred,  I  took  a 
precaution  (as  will  be  seen)  which  made  it  impossible  that 
either  Mr.  Underbill  or  any  of  the  company  should  leave 
their  seats,  even  for  a  moment,  without  my  knowledge.1' 

A    GHOST    SPEAKS. 

"  Five  days  after  this  I  had  the  session  here  referred  to, 
in  the  same  room,  with  the  same  assistants,  during  which 
similar  phenomena  were  repeated,  but  with  one  highly 
noteworthy  addition. 

"  The  date  was  the  twenty-sixth  of  October,  1860,  and  it 
was  an  evening  session,  from  half -past  ten  till  midnight. 
The  same  precautions  which  I  had  taken  before  the  com- 
mencement of  the  former  sitting,  as  to  locking  all  the 
doors,  looking  under  the  table,  examining  the  room  and 
furniture,  etc.,  I  carefully  adopted  on  this  occasion  also. 
A.s  before,  we  waited  until  the  servants  had  retired  and  all 
was  still. 

"  After  a  time  there  was  spelled  '  Darken  ; '  then  '  Join 
hands.'  We  obeyed  ;  but  on  this  occasion  I  took  an  addi- 
tional precaution.  Grasping  Mrs.  Underbill's  right  hand 
and  Charles's  left,  I  brought  my  own  hands  to  the  centre 
of  the  table,  and  Mr.  Underbill,  across  the  table,  laid  his 
hands  on  mine.  This  we  continued  throughout  the  entire 
sitting.     I  am  able,   therefore,   to  assert  that,  from  the 


IX  MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  367 

beginning  of  this  sitting  till  the  end,  the  circle  remained 
unbroken. 

••  After  a  few  minutes,  there  appeared  a  luminous  body 
of  an  irregularly  circular  form,  about  four  inches  in  diam- 
eter, floating  between  us  and  the  door,  which  was  back  of 
Mrs.  Underbill.  It  was  somewhat  brighter  than  when  it 
first  appeared  on  the  previous  occasion,  that  is,  on  the 
twenty -first  of  October. 

"Then,  after  an  interval,  the  light,  rustling  sound 
seemed  to  indicate  the  approach  of  some  one.  The  figure 
was  not  so  distinct  as  on  the  previous  occasion,  the  lower 
portion  losing  itself  in  a  grayish  cloud.  The  highest  light 
seemed  to  be  on  the  spot  corresponding  to  the  forehead. 
But  I  saw  no  features ;  nor  did  I  see  the  arms  moving. 
Very  soon  1  was  gently  touched  on  the  head,  then  on  the 
shoulders,  then  laid  hold  of,  as  with  both  hands  of  some 
one  standing  behind  me.  Then  the  figure  seemed,  by  the 
sound,  to  move  away  toward  Mr.  Underbill.  He  stated 
that  the  figure  was  approaching  him.  He  asked  it  if,  as 
a  test,  it  could  take  something  out  of  his  pocket  ;  but 
there  was  no  reply,  by  raps  or  otherwise.  Immediately  I 
heard  a  sound  as  if  some  one  were  moving  the  key  about 
in  the  door  opposite  to  me. 

"  Soon  after  Mr.  Underbill  said  the  figure  had  again  ap- 
proached him.  I  saw  the  illuminated  circular  substance 
close  to  his  head,  but  could  not  distinguish  any  figure. 
Mr.  Underbill  said  that  he  could  dimly  discern  the  figure. 

v'  After  a  time  it  moved  round  to  the  lad  Charles,  who 
exhibited  much  alarm,  crying  out,  '<>ii.  go  away!  pray 
don't!  '  when  it  approached,  as  I  saw  it  do,  close  to  his 
head,  which  he  had  bent  down  on  the  table.  It  was  now 
very  bright,  so  that,  by  the  light,  I  could  see  the  outline 
of  the  boy's  head.  Charles  afterward  stated  that  he  saw 
it  distinctly,  and   that   a   hand  touched   him    repeatedly. 


358  THE   MISSING   LINK 

While  it  Mas  close  to  Charles,  it  appeared  to  me  as  if  a 
white  handkerchief  or  some  article  of  the  like  texture  were 
thrown  over  a  hand  or  some  similar  support.  I  taw  no 
figure.  When  it  rose  behind  Charles,  as  if  to  leave  him 
when  he  cried  out,  I  could  perceive  what  resembled  a  hand 
grasping  some  illuminated  substance,  the  outline  of  the 
hand  appearing  as  a  shadow  across  the  illuminated  ground. 

"Then  it  moved,  as  I  could  see,  to  Mr.  Underbill,  and 
after  a  time  crossed  over  to  me,  and  touched  me  gentry  on 
the  shoulder.  Of  a  sudden  it  occurred  to  me  that  one 
other  evidence  was  lacking.  I  expressed  a  desire  that,  if 
it  could,  it  would  speak.  It  seemed  to  make  several  efforts 
to  3o  so,  as  indicated  by  a  slight,  guttural  sound ;  then  I 
heard  a  sound  resembling  the  syllable  es,  twice  repeated. 

"Then,  by  the  raps,  was  spelled  out,  '  Sing.'  Mrs.  Un- 
derbill complied.  The  figure  which  had  seemed  to  move 
away  and  return,  again  touched  me  from  behind,  drawing 
me  slightly  toward  it.  Then,  in  a  brief  interval  of  the 
singing,  I  heard,  in  a  low  voice,  just  behind  me,  'God 
bless  you.'  As  additional  assurance  that  it  was  no  mo- 
mentary illusion,  I  asked  that  it  would  speak  again  ;  and 
again,  in  an  interval  of  the  music,  I  heard,  in  distinct 
tones,  the  same  words,  '  God  bless  you.'  They  seemed 
to  be  pronounced  close  to  my  ear.  The  voice  was  low — 
apparently  a  woman's  voice — just  louder  than  a  whisper, 
and  the  words  seemed  to  be  pronounced  with  an  effort,  in 
subdued  tones,  as  a  person  faint  from  sickness  might  speak. 
I  particularly  noticed,  also,  that  each  word  was  pronounced 
separately,  with  a  perceptible  interval  between,  and  there 
was  not  the  usual  accent  on  bless,  followed  by  the  short- 
ened you  •  but  each  word  was  equally  accented.  In  other 
respects  the  sound  resembled  the  human  voice,  when  low 
and  gentle. 

"  Mrs.  Underbill  afterward  stated  to  me  that  she  distin- 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  359 

guished  the  word  you,  but  not  the  others.  Mr.  Underbill 
said  he  had  heard  articulate  sounds,  but  could  not  make 
out  any  of  the  words  ;  he  only  knew  that  something  had 
been  said  to  me. 

"  Af  ter  a  time  I  saw  the  figure  pass  behind  Mrs.  Under- 
bill and  remain,  for  a  few  minutes,  near  her  husband  ; 
then  it  returned  to  me,  appearing  on  my  left  side.  I  saw 
the  outline  of  a  head  and  face,  but  still,  as  before,  covered 
with  a  veil  which  concealed  the  features.  I  perceived, 
however,  what  I  had  not  observed  before,  what  seemed 
tresses  of  dark  hair  dropping  over  the  face,  and  the  dim 
outline  of  an  arm  raised  one  of  these  tresses,  and  then 
dropped  it  again,  several  times,  as  if  to  attract  my  atten- 
tion. Behind  was  the  vague  outline  of  a  figure,  but  less 
distinct  than  during  the  previous  sitting.  Then  the  figure 
passed  behind  me.  I  was  leaning  over  the  table,  so  that 
Mr.  Underbill  might  not  have  so  far  to  stretch  in  order  to 
reach  my  hands.  I  felt  a  kiss  on  my  shoulders,  then  there 
was  the  feeling  of  two  hands  laid  each  on  one  shoulder,  and 
I  was  drawn  very  gently  back  till  my  shoulders,  above  the 
chair-back,  were  pressed  against  what  seemed  a  material 
form.     Almost  at  the  same  moment  my  hand  was  kissed. 

"  Mr.  Underbill  cried  out,  '  Ah,  you  were  drawn  back  ; ' 
and  Mrs.  Underbill  said,  a  little  impatiently,  '  Every  one 
is  touched  but  me.  Can't  you  come  to  me?'  The  words 
were  hardly  pronounced  when  she  screamed  out,  as  in 
alarm ;  she  bad  been  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  kissed  on 
the  forehead. 

"  From  that  very  moment  the  manifestations  entirely 
ceased.  No  luminous  object  to  be  seen,  not  another  touch, 
not  a  rustle,  not  a  sound  of  any  kind  in  the  room.  I  lis- 
tened attentively,  and  am  certain  that  no  door  opened  or 
shut,  and  scarcely  a  minute  or  two  elapsed  ere  it  was 
spelled  out,  '  Light  the  gas.' 


360  THE   MISSING   LINK 

"  When  we  had  done  so  we  found  everything  as  before, 
with  a  single  exception.  I  ascertained  by  looking  under 
the  table  and  in  the  pantry  that  there  was  no  one  in  the 
room  but  ourselves ;  I  found  all  the  three  doors  locked, 
but  the  key  belonging  to  the  door  opposite  to  me  was 
missing.  AVe  asked  where  it  was ;  the  raps  replied, 
'  Look.'  We  could  not  see  it  anywhere.  Then  we  ex- 
amined our  pockets,  and,  from  one  of  his  coat-pockets  Mr. 
Underbill  produced  a  key  which  was  found  to  fit  the  door. 
Mrs.  Underbill  asked  if  her  alarmed  exclamation  had  in- 
jured the  Spirit  ? 

"  Answer  by  the  raps  :  '  Xot  much.' 

"  Mrs.  U. :  '  I'm  so  much  afraid  I  hurt  her ! ' 

"  Answer  :   '  It  frightened  her.' 

"  Question  (by  me) :  '  Did  Mrs.  Underbill's  cry  of  alarm 
cause  the  manifestations  to  cease  ? ' 

"  Answer:  '  Yes.' 

"  As  to  the  door-key,  I  remark  : 

"  That  Mr.  Underbill  asked,  as  a  test,  to  have  something 
taken  from  his  pocket ;  but  it  was  a  better  test,  since  ho 
could  not  move  from  his  place  to  take  the  key  from  the 
door  and  deposit  it  in  his  pocket.  Who  hut  a  Spirit  could 
take  it,  our  circle  remaining  unbroken  ?  Is  the  taking 
by  Spirit  agency  incredible  ?  But  the  hands  that  pressed 
my  shoulders,  that  grasped  my  hand,  that  clasped  my 
wrist,  were  surely  material  enough  to  extract  a  key  from  a 
door-lock  and  drop  it  into  a  pocket. 

"  Then  all  the  doors,  this  time,  were  left  locked,  so  that 
no  one  could  enter  from  without ;  to  say  nothing  of  the 
absurd  supposition  that  a  Spirit  should  open  a  door  in  order 
to  admit  human  assistants." — "Debatable  Land,"  p.  467. 


IX    MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  361 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

SPIRIT  CUEES— MR.   CAPEOX'S  WIFE. 

Statement  by  E.  W.  Capron — Wife  of  General  Waddy  Thomp- 
son, of  South  Carolina— Wife  of  Mr.  Davis  of  Providence, 
R.  I. 

I  mtght  fill  many  pages  with  my  reminiscences  under 
this  head,  but  I  now  confine  myself  to  three  instances,  the 
first  in  order  being  also  the  first  in  my  experience.  I  take 
it  partly  for  that  reason,  and  partly  because  it  contains  the 
features  of  the  temporary  transfer  to  myself  of  the  affec- 
tion removed  from  the  sufferer,  and  also  of  the  cure  hav- 
ing been  performed  at  a  distance. 

I. 

STATEMENT    BY   E.    W.    CAPRON. 

"  On  the  occasion  of  my  first  visit  at  the  house  of  the  Fox 
sisters,  then  living  in  Prospect  Street,  Rochester,  I  men- 
tioned casually  that  my  wife  was  afflicted  with  a  very 
severe  and  troublesome  cough.  Nothing  more  was  said 
about  it  at  the  time,  but  as  we  sat  quietly  conversing  with 
and  about  the  '  Spirits,'  Leah  seemed  suddenly  entranced 
and  said,  'I'm  going  to  cure  Rebecca's  cough.'  It  was  no 
sooner  said  than  done.  She  visited  her  mentally  and  de- 
scribed her  accurately,  and  pronounced  her  cured.  I  re- 
turned to  my  home  (Auburn)  and  found  her  entirely  well. 
I  expressed  surprise,  and  asked  her  how  she  became  so 
suddenly  cured  ?  She  said  she  did  not  herself  understand 
it,  as  her  cough  had  left  her  since  '  night  before  last.' 
Her  cough  was  cured  and  never  returned. 

"  E.  W.  Capron." 


362  THE   MISSING   LINK 


Note. — I  will  add  that  the  cough  was  transferred  to  myself  with  equal 
violence  to  that  which  had  tormented  Mrs.  Capron.  My  family  at  times 
feared  that  I  might  rupture  a  blood-vessel.  (Why  did  the  Spirits  not 
relieve  me  too  ?)  It  lasted  for  about  a  week,  when  my  mother  sent  for 
Professor  E.  C.  Rogers,  a  powerful  mesmerizer  who  happened  to  be 
lecturing  in  Rochester  at  the  time,  who  by  his  magnetic  power  and 
manipulations  gave  me  prompt  and  c  mplete  relief.  He  was  not  a 
"  Spiritualist,"  nor  am  I  able  to  say  exactly  what  his  philosophy  was. 
He  afterward  published  an  8vo  volume  of  about  330  pages,  entitled, 
"  Philosophy  of  Mysterious  Agents,  Human  and  Mundane  ;  or,  Dynamic 
Laws  and  Relations  of  Man,"  etc.  A.  L.  U. 

II. 

WIFE   OF   GENERAL   WADDY   THOMPSON,    OF    SOUTH   CAROLINA. 

General  Waddy  Thompson  was  a  widower  when  I  first 
knew  him  (he  had  met  my  mother  and  sisters  in  Washing- 
ton, in  1852).  Subsequently  he  attended  nry  seances  fre- 
quentl}\  On  the  occasion  I  now  speak  of  (in  the  fall  of 
1857),  he  called  to  make  an  engagement  with  me  to  see 
him  and  his  young,  second  wife,  who  was  an  invalid.  As 
they  were  going  to  start  for  home  the  next  morning,  he 
wished  to  come  that  afternoon.  It  was  cold,  and  the  snow 
and  frozen  rain  came  down  heavily,  but  at  the  appointed 
time  a  carriage  drove  to  the  door,  and  Mrs.  Thompson  was 
carried  into  the  house  by  two  men.  She  was  beautiful 
alike  in  person  and  in  character.  Her  lameness  and  great 
suffering,  wmich  she  had  endured  for  over  four  years,  had 
had  their  origin  in  milk  fever,  which  had  settled  in  her 
leg,  and  had  baffled  the  skill  of  the  most  renowned  phy- 
sicians of  Europe  and  America. 

The  manifestations  of  Spirit  presence  came  freely,  and 
very  soon  Mrs.  Thompson  cried  out,  "  Oh  !  something  is 
taking  hold  of  my  limbs  with  hands ! "  The  General 
begged  her  to  sit  still,  saying,  "  Do  not  stir:  my  dear  ;  it 
is  your  Spirit  guardian  who  loves  you."     She  wept  and 


IX   3I0PEKX  SPIRITUALISM.  363 

called  on  her  mothers  Spirit  to  come,  saying,  "  Dear 
mother,  I  want  you  to  go  with  me  where  I  go,  and  watch 
over  us  all." 

Mrs.  Thompson  was  cured,  and  walked  back  without 
difficulty  from  Ludlow  Place  to  the  St.  Nicholas  Hotel. 

Two  years  later,  in  1859,  she  and  her  lovely  sister,  Miss 
Jones,  accompanied  the  General  to  New  York,  and  on 
learning  that  it  was  our  reception  night,  came  to  enjoy  the 
evening  with  us,  and  related  the  circumstances  before  a 
very  large  party. 

III. 

WIFE    OF    MR.    DAVrS,    OF   PROVIDENCE,    R.    I. 

The  third  I  save  myself  the  trouble  of  writing  by  copy- 
ing it  from  Robert  Dale  Owen's  "  Debatable  Land,"  page 
513.  But  in  doing  so  I  correct  an  error  of  date  which  was 
natural  enough  on  the  part  of  Mrs.  Davis  in  a  narration 
made  in  1S62  of  an  occurrence  which  had  taken  place  some 
five  years  before.  In  point  of  fact  it  occurred  in  1S57, 
while  I  resided  in  my  house,  ISo.  1  Ludlow  Place.  She 
erroneously  makes  it  February,  1858,  instead  of  1857. 
My  marriage  with  Mr.  Underbill  was  on  the  2d  of  Novem- 
ber, 1858.  Of  course  I  was  not  "Mrs.  Underbill,"  but 
Mrs.  Brown,  at  the  time  of  this  extraordinary  cure  ;  though 
it  was  natural  that  Mrs.  Davis  in  1862  should  speak  of  me 
by  the  name  which  had  then  been  mine  for  about  four 
years;  and  also  that  this  should  have  misled  Mr.  Owen, 
and  caused  him  to  understand  the  case  as  having  occurred 
after  I  bad  become  Mrs.  IT.  The  reader  will  therefore,  in 
perusing  this  narrative,  simply  change  the  word  "  Under- 
bill "to  Brown.  With  that  unimportant  correction,  the 
whole  of  it  is  strictly  true.  See  letter  from  Mrs.  Davis  to 
me,  written  on  her  return  home  from  this  visit,  dated 
August  8,  1857,  page  391. 


364  THE   MISSING   LINK. 

Pamhjxis  of  the  Motor  Nerve. 

"  In  the  month  of  February,  1S5S,  a  lady,  the  wife  of  Mr. 
Davis,  of  Providence,  It.  I.,  was  residing  at  her  home  in 
the  immediate  vicinity  of  that  city. 

"It  happened,  one  morning,  when  a  large  and  powerful 
horse  was  standing  harnessed  in  front  of  the  house,  that  a 
servant,  passing  carelessly  close  to  the  animal  with  a  child's 
carriage  in  which  was  an  infant  daughter  of  Mrs.  Davis, 
accidentally  dropped  the  tongue  of  the  carriage  close  to  the 
horse's  heels.  Mrs.  Davis,  seeing  the  danger  of  her  child, 
rushed  to  the  horse's  head,  and  seizing  him  suddenly  by 
the  bridle  with  her  right  hand,  the  animal  reared  violently 
so  as  almost  to  lift  her  from  her  feet.  She  succeeded, 
however,  in  leading  him  off  from  her  child,  which  thus  es- 
caped unhurt. 

"  At  the  moment  she  experienced  no  pain  ;  afterward  she 
went  about  her  usual  occupations,  but  felt  faint  and  lan- 
guid throughout  the  day.  xVbout  ten  o'clock  p.m.,  sitting 
down  to  supper,  she  first  noticed  a  pain  in  her  elbow,  and 
then,  when  she  attempted  to  use  her  right  hand,  was  un- 
able to  do  so  ;  she  found  it  impossible  to  close  three  of  the 
fingers  of  that  hand,  the  index-finger  alone  obeying  the 
impulse  of  her  will.  After  a  time  the  pain  increased  and 
extended  above  the  elbow. 

"  In  the  course  of  the  night  the  right  leg  also  became 
affected,  the  pain  extending  to  the  hip. 

"In  the  morning  she  discovered  that  she  could  not,  by 
any  effort  of  the  will,  move  either  the  right  arm  or  the 
right  leg. 

"  The  physicians  declared  it  to  be  a  case  of  paralysis  of 
the  motor  nerves,  caused  chiefly  by  sudden  excitement. 
For  a  long  time  it  resisted  all  remedies.  During  seven 
weeks  the  paralysis  continued  unabated. 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  3G5 


"  In  all  that  time  she  never  used  hand  or  arm  :  when  she 
walked  she  had  to  drag  the  right  leg  after  her.  The  leg, 
too,  became  cold  even  to  the  hip,  and  all  efforts  to  warm 
it  were  ineffectual. 

"In  the  month  of  April  she  experienced  slight  relief  by 
the  frequent  use  of  electricity  ;  but  only  so  far  that,  by  a 
special  effort  of  the  will,  she  could  partially  move  her  hand 
and  arm.  Habitually  she  rested  the  elbow  on  her  hip,  or, 
when  sitting  in  an  arm-chair,  raised  it  with  the  other  hand 
so  as  to  rest  it  on  the  chair-arm.  Nor  did  she  ever,  until 
the  incident  about  to  be  related,  regain  the  power  of 
straightening  either  leg  or  arm.  Nor  Mas  the  warmth  of 
the  leg  at  all  restored  ;  and  when  she  walked  she  still  had 
to  drasr  it  after  her  along;  the  ground. 

"  This  continued,  without  alteration  or  improvement, 
until  the  month  of  July,  1S5S;  and  by  this  time  she  had 
become  comparatively  disheartened.  Life  seemed  to  her  no 
longer  worth  having:  a  cripple  for  life,  a  burden  to  her 
friends,  useless  to  her  family.  She  gave  way  to  tears  and 
despondency. 

"  In  the  early  part  of  July  a  friend,  Mrs.  J.,  wife  of 
a  gentleman  well  known  in  New  York  literary  circles  *  and 
who  had  been  staying  with  Mrs.  Davis,  proposed  to  close 
her  visit  and  return  to  that  city.  Suddenly  Mrs.  Davis 
experienced  an  impulse  for  which  she  could  not  at  all  ac- 
count. It  was  an  urgent  desire  to  go  to  Xew  York  and 
visit  Mrs.  Underbill  (Leah  Fox),  with  whom  she  was  not 
acquainted,  having  merely  heard  of  her  through  Mrs.  J. 
She  said  to  that  lady  (Mrs.  J.)  that  if  she  would  remain 
with  her  a  day  longer,  she  (Mrs.  Davis)  would  accompany 
her  to  New  York  and  visit  Mis.  Underhill  in  hope  of  re- 
lief.    Mrs.  J.  consenting,  they  left  Providence  "ii  the  even- 

*  Oliver  Johnson,  Editor  of  the  Anti~Staoer$  Standard 


366  THE   MISSING   LINK 


ing  of  July  3d,  notwithstanding  the  doubts  expressed  by 
Mr.  Davis  whether  his  wife  would  be  able  to  endure  the 
journey,  reached  New  York  next  morning,  and  proceeded 
at  once  to  Mrs.  Underbill's. 

k'  Mrs.  Davis  was  so  much  exhausted  on  her  arrival,  that 
she  retired  to  a  private  room  until  the  afternoon,  when 
she,  Mrs.  J.,  and  Mrs.  Underbill  met  in  the  parlor. 

"  Loud  raps  being  heard,  it  was  proposed  to  sit  down  at 
the  centre-table.  It  being  but  three  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon, there  was  bright  day-light. 

"  Soon  after  the  ladies  sat  down,  all  their  hands  being  on 
the  table,  Mrs.  Davis  felt  the  ankle  of  her  right  leg  seized 
as  by  the  firm  grasp  of  a  human  hand,  the  foot  raised,  and 
the  heel  placed  in  what  seemed  another  hand.*  The  touch 
of  the  fingers  and  thumb  was  unmistakably  distinct*  and 
indicated  that  it  was  a  right  hand  which  grasped  the  ankle, 
while  a  left  hand  received  the  heel.  After  a  time  the  hand 
which  had  seized  the  ankle  released  its  grasp,  and  Mrs. 
Davis  felt  it  make  passes  down  the  leg.  These  passes 
were  continued  about  ten  minutes.  Mrs.  Davis  felt  a  sen- 
sation as  of  the  circulation  pervading  the  paralyzed  limb  ; 
and  the  natural  warmth,  of  which  it  had  been  for  months 
deprived,  gradually  returned.  At  the  expiration  of  about 
ten  minutes,  there  was  spelled  out  by  raps :  '  Rise  and 
walk.' 

""Mrs.  Davis  arose  and  found,  with  an  amazement  which 
she  said  no  words  could  describe,  that  she  could  walk  as 
well  as  she  had  ever  done  in  her  life.  She  paced  up  and 
down  the  room  to  assure  herself  that  it  was  a  reality  :  the 
pain,  the  paralysis  were  gone ;  she  could  use  the  hitherto 
disabled  leg  as  freely  as  the  other.     After  more  than  four 


*  The  allegation  by  rapping  was,  that  the  agency   was  that  of  a  de- 
ceased  brother  of  Mrs.  Davis. 


IN   MODERN-   SPIRITUALISM.  807 

months  of  suffering  and  of  decrepitude,  she  found  the 
natural  warmth  and  vigor  of  the  limb  suddenly  and  (as  it 
would  be  commonly  phrased)  miraculously  restored. 

"This  terminated  the  sitting  for  the  time;  the  arm  still 
remaining  paralyzed  as  before.  But  late  in  the  evening, 
after  the  departure  of  several  visitors,  the  ladies  sat  down 
again.  This  time,  by  rapping,  a  request  was  made  to 
darken  the  room.  After  a  brief  delay  the  arm  was  manip- 
ulated as  the  leg  had  been,  but  with  more  force,  as  if 
rubbed  downward  from  the  shoulder  by  a  smooth  and 
somewhat  elastic  piece  of  metal,  like  the  steel  busk  some- 
times used  in  ladies'  stays.  After  this  had  been  continued 
for  some  time,  what  seemed  to  the  touch  a  steel  busk  was 
laid  in  Mrs.  Davis's  right  hand,  and,  by  raps,  a  request 
was  spelled  out  to  close  the  fingers  upon  it.  This  she 
found  herself  able  to  do  with  a  firm  grasp.  Then  the 
busk  was  drawn  forcibly  from  her  hand. 

"  From  that  time  forth  she  recovered  the  use  of  her  arm 
as  completely  as  she  had  that  of  her  leg.  Xor  has  she  had 
pain  or  any  return  of  the  paralysis,  or  weakness,  or  loss  of 
temperature,  in  either  limb,  from  that  day  to  the  present 
time;*  that  is,  during  four  years. 

"  In  communicating  the  above  to  me,  as  Mrs.  Davis  did, 
in  presence  of  the  same  .friend  who  accompanied  her  to 
Mrs.  Underbill's,  Mrs.  Davis  kindly  gave  me  permission 
to  use  her  name."  f 

*  Written  July,  1862,  when  this  narrative  was  communicated  to  me. 

■(•The.  above  was  related  to  me  July  20,  lS(i2,  by  -Mrs.  Davis  herself. 
I  wrote  it  out  next  day  ;  and  submitted  the  manuscript  on  the  2-lth  of 
July  to  Mrs.  Davis,  in  presence  of  Mrs.  J.,  for  authentication.  It  was 
assented  to  by  both  ladies  as  correct." 


368  THE   MISSING    LINK 


CHAPTER    XXVII. 

MISCELLANEOUS  LETTERS. 

J.  Heddon— S.  Chamberlain — John  E.  Robinson— A.  Underbill, 
— George  Lee,  M.D. 

The  two  following  letters,  from  Mr.  Heddon  and  Judge 
Chamberlain  to  me,  I  take  from  The  Clew  land  Phiindealer, 
hi  which  paper  they  are  thus  prefaced  by  the  editor : 

"  Jfore  Testimony. — Some  friends  of  Mrs.  Fish,  on  learn- 
ing her  intended  visit  to  this  city,  gave  her  many  nattering 
letters,  signifying  their  great  esteem  for  her  and  confidence 
in  the  '  good  cause,'  as  they  ca\l  it,  of  tl>e  doctrine  of  Spirit- 
ualism. Among  the  many  such  testimonials  we  select  the 
following  from  J.  Heddon,  Esq.,  and  Judge  Chamberlain, 
men  of  the  first  standing  in  their  community." 

J.  HEDDON. 

"Stafford,  May  9,  1851. 

"  Respected  Madam  :  As  Mr.  Chamberlain  and  myself 
left  Rochester  before  we  had  an  opportunity  of  copying 
those  Spiritual  manifestations,  I  will  now  transcribe  and 
send  them  to  you  by  mail,  and  Mr.  Chamberlain  engages 
to  do  the  same.  You  are  at  perfect  liberty  to  make  any 
use  you  may  think  proper  of  mine,  including  or  omitting 
the  name,  as  you  may  think  best ;  for  I  am  alike  indifferent 
to  frowns  or  flattery.  I  feel  a  lively  interest  in  the  cause, 
and  I  believe  many  of  my  friends  will  be  induced  to  pay 
you  a  visit  on  your  return  from  the  West ;  and  most  assur- 


IN    MODERN    SI'I  RITUALISM.  369 


edly  your  humble  servant  among  the  rest.     The  commu- 
nications I  copy  verbatim  on  the  other  side  of  the  sheet. 

"  Wishing  you  a  pleasant  and  successful  visit  to  Cleve- 
land, I  am 

"  Your  most  ob't  servant, 

"  J.  Heddon." 

"  Stafford,  May  9,  1851. 

"  You  are  aware  that,  for  the  first  time,  I  had  manifesta- 
tions on  my  person  of  the  presence  of  Spirits  at  your  house 
on  Thursday  last,  after  which  I  received  the  following  com- 
munication from  my  Spirit  friends.  My  wife  thus  ad- 
dressed me : 

"  '  My  dear  :  I  am  with  you  always  ;  in  the  silent  hour 
of  midnight,  when  all  is  quiet,  I  rest  upon  your  bosom  and 
bless  you,  and  keep  you  safe.' 

"  Message  t<<  hi  r  L  %Ud. — '  Teach  her  to  know  her  mother 
watches  over  her  ;  tell  her  she  has  a  mother  "  still  living," 
teach  her  to  know  that  death  hath  no  terror — the  transi- 
tion from  Earth  to  Heaven  is  past  description  ;  we  shall 
all  be  again  united.     All  is  well.' 

"  The  Spirit  of  my  father  then  said :  '  I  sanction  all  she 
has  said  —the  Truth  will  rise  triumphant — the  cause  is  good. 
God  rules  victorious.' 

"  In  answer  to  a  question  whether  I  should  have  mani- 
festations at  home,  my  wife  replied,  '  I  will  make  sounds 
upon  your  pillows.' 

"  The  Spirit  of  a  recently  departed  brother  said, k  Tell  her 
(our  mother)  I  thought  of  her  when  I  was  dying,  and  de- 
sired to  see  you  all,  but  when  my  soul  was  released  I  came 
t<>  your  abode,  and  was  greatly  delighted  with  my  privi- 
leges. Things  will  change  with  you,  and  you  will  rejoice 
and  know  the  truth.' 


370  THE   MISSING   LINK 


"  The  numerous  test  questions  I  kept  no  record  of,  and 
consequently  they  are  omitted  here. 

"  J.  IIeddox. 

"  X.  B.  My  brother  died  far  away  from  home,  which 
accounts  for  the  above  message  to  his  mother." 

S.   <  IIAMBERLAIX. 

"Le  Roy,  N.  Y.,  May  10,  1851. 

"  Mrs.  A.  L.  Fisn  : 

"  I  herewitli  annex  a  copy  of  an  account  of  some  inci- 
dents which  occurred  at  your  house  on  the  7th  inst.  The 
.following  mental  questions  were  asked  and  replied  to  by 
the  Spirits  in  the  usual  manner. 

"  I  asked  if  the  Spirit  I  then  had  in  my  mind  were 
present  ?     Answer,  '  Yes.' 

ki  I  then  asked  if  the  Spirit  would  give  me  a  message. 
The  alphabet  was  called  for  and  the  following  was  spelled 
out: 

" '  I  used  to  oppose  the  subject.  I  departed  this  life 
within  the  last  year  ;  I  am  convinced  of  the  reality  of  these 
things  now.  I  visited  Mrs.  Fish  soon  after  I  left  the  mor- 
tal body,  and  was  pleased  with  my  interview.  I  scorned 
the  idea  of  visiting  her  when  I  lived  on  earth,  but  now  I 
am  delighted  to  call  occasionally  and  listen  to  the  commu- 
nications. I  wish  I  had  known  something  more  about 
these  things  before  I  left  the  earth.' 

"  I  asked  him  to  give  me  the  letters  of  his  name ;  which 
he  did.  This  I  considered  a  good  test,  as  no  one  present 
could  know  whom  I  had  in  my  mind ;  and  the  fact  of  his 
death  and  opinions  on  this  subject  were  true,  as  I  had 
been  intimately  acquainted  with  Lira  for  a  period  of  twenty 
years,  and  had  had  many  interviews  with  him  on  the  sub- 
ject. 


IN    MODERN"    SPIRITUALISM.  371 


"I  then  asked,  mentally,  for  the  Spirit  of  a  new  ac- 
quaintance, with  whom  I  had  a  misunderstanding  while  in 
life,  which  was  not  settled  at  his  death.  I  asked  him, 
mentally,  what  he  had  to  say  on  the  subject  ?  The  alpha- 
bet was  called  for,  and  said,  '  We  are  good  friends  again. 
All  differences  are  now  settled  forever.' 

"  I  then  said,  mentally,  '  Perhaps  I  was  wrong.'  He  said, 
'  Xo,  I  was  in  fault.'  I  asked  him  to  spell  his  first  name, 
which  he  did.  I  asked  the  Spirit  of  my  father-in-law  if  I 
should  have  a  medium  in  my  family.  He  answered,  by 
alphabet,  '  You  have  a  medium  in  your  family  already  ; ' 
which  was  true.  I  asked  m  what  way.  He  replied,  '  A 
medium  in  writing.'  This  was  also  true.  I  asked  him  to 
spell  his  name,  which  he  declined.  I  asked  him  why  the 
Spirits  declined,  generally,  to  give  their  names.  He  an- 
swered, '  That  would  convince  the  sceptic  too  easily.'  He 
then  said,  '  Xo  good  thing  can  be  obtained  without  some 
labor — the  husbandman  must  till  his  ground  before  it  will 
bring  forth  much  fruit.'  There  were  many  other  ques- 
tions and  answers  that  I  consider  equally  good  tests,  but 
have  no  time  to  give  them  now. 

"  Wishing  you  much  pleasure  and  true  friends  through 
life,  I  am  very  sincerely  yours, 

"  S.  Chamberlain."  • 

This  Judge  Chamberlain  was  one  of  the  most  respect- 
able citizens  of  Le  Roy,  X.  Y. 

JOHN    E.    ROBINSON. 

"  Rochester,  May  23,  1851. 

"Dear  Friend  Leah:  Your  letter  was  received  two 
days  since,  and  I  thank  your  punctuality  in  thus  early  re- 
membering not  to  forget  me.  The  accompanying  lialf- 
sheet  was  very   welcome  to  Rachel.     You  could   hardly 


372  THE  MISSING   LINK 


have  written  more,  under  the  circumstances.  I  will  there- 
fore excuse  you  for  not  giving  me  a  particular  account  of 
things  up  to  the  date  when  yours  was  penned.  I  shall, 
however,  expect  a  long  letter  from  you  soon,  written  all  to 
me,  and  as  the  warfare  has,  by  this  time,  fairly  opened  be- 
tween our  friends,  the  Spirits,  and  their  antagonists  in 
Cleveland,  you  M'ill  have  enough  to  tell  me.  The  result  of 
the  '  passage  at  arms '  is,  of  course,  not  doubtful  to  any  who, 
like  me,  are  aware  of  the  temper  of  the  weapons  which 
the  Spirits  wield  against  their  opponents.  But  we  are  all 
interested,  exceedingly  so,  in  looking  on,  while  the  battle 
is  waged  in  a  new  field,  with  fresh  antagonists  confident  in 
their  own  strength  because  ignorant  of  the  power  of  the 
opposing  force.  It  is  amusing,  this  confidence  of  inflated 
ignorance !  but  it  is  such  a  universal  weakness,  that  we 
can  hardly  any  longer  wonder  at  its  manifestation.  You 
have  so  often  witnessed  it,  and  have  so  often  triumphed 
over  those  who  came  to  sneer  and  scoff  at  you,  that  I  think 
you  can  well  afford  now  to  keep  your  temper  well  harnessed 
on  such  occasions,  and  let  your  auditors  see  how  calm,  how 
confident  you  are,  while  awaiting  their  overthrow.  Why, 
Leah,  you  can  afford  to  wear  a  smile  and  confront,  with  an 
unflashing  eye,  the  deriding,  sneering  sceptic,  or  even  the 
enraged  bigot,  who  backs  his  authoritative  condemnation 
by  relating  falsehoods  that  have  been  a  thousand  times 
refuted.  'But  it  is  difficult,'  say  you,  'for  me  to  be  more 
than  mortal.'  I  know  it,  and  doubt  very  much  if  I  could 
be  half  as  patient  as  you  are.  But  I  am  at  a  safe  distance, 
and  have  hazarded  giving  you  (very  modestly)  this  quiet 
hint.  The  application  of  whalebone  to  a  man's  back  may 
help  his  manners  and  regulate  the  movements  of  his  tongue 
and  pen,  but  it  is  not  very  apt  to  convince  his  reason.  Mi-. 
Sackett,  probably,  is  quite  aware  of  this;  and  his  adminis- 
tration of  the  corrective  was  evidently  intended  for  the 


IN    MODERN    SPIRITUALISM.  373 

moral  improvement  of  the  Herald  man.  You  wish  he 
(Mr.  S.)  would  come  and  mete  out  such  justice  to  the 
Rochester  editorial  fraternity.  I  do  not.  They  are  not 
worth  the  trouble  of  horse- whipping,  and  besides,  only  be 
patient,  Leah,  and  you  will  see  them  yet  so  confoundedly 
trounced  by  the  Spirits,  that  it  will  last  them  till  the  or- 
thodox judgment  day  damns  them.  It  is  to  be  hoped  you 
are  wise  enough  to  retire  from  company  sufficiently  early 
in  the  evening  to  give  you  time  for  rest.  There  is  scarcely 
anything  which  more  destroys  one's  equanimity  of  mind 
than  this  neglect  of  rest.  Kow  will  }-ou  remember  and 
take  care  of  yourself  ?  I  have  not  yet  done  with  you,  for 
this  reason — you  need  scolding  once  in  a  while,  and  have 
but  few  friends  who  are  willing  to  do  it ;  so  I  shall  remind 
you,  on  all  proper  occasions,  of  your  delinquencies.  It  oc- 
curred to  me  the  other  day  that  we  were  wrong  in  so  often 
thinking,  latterly,  that  Spiritualism  had  made  but  little 
advance  in  some  time.  It  is  true,  so  far  as  our  knowledge 
is  concerned ;  and  the  number  of  mediums  for  Spiritual 
communications  seems  very  limited.  But  all  this  while 
the  subject  has  been  taking  hold  of  people's  minds  in  all 
jjarts  of  the  country.  They  do  not  stop  thinking  because 
a  few  church  conferences  and  priest-ridden  journalists  tell 
them  to.  Editors  who  have  some  independence  will  write, 
and  their  readers  will  digest  anything  which  is  made  pal- 
atable by  the  semblance  of  candor.  There  is,  perhaps,  no 
one  subject  which  is  more  thought  of  throughout  this 
country  and  Europe  at  this  very  time  than  these  Spirit 
demonstrations.  I  believe  you  will  go  to  England  and 
Fiance;  but  when,  and  how,  and  under  what  auspices,  I 
will  not  try  to  guess.  Tell  Calvin  I  am  obliged  for  the 
papers  sent  by  him.  I  have  not  seen  any  of  the  inmates  of 
your  house  since  you  left.  I  would  call  there  if  there  were 
any  necessity,  but  you  have  left  matters  in  safe  custody. 


374  THE   MISSING   LINK 

"  Say  to  your  sister  Maria  I  hope  the  journey  affords  her 

pleasure,  both  in  seeing  a  part  of  the  beauties  of  the  great 

West  and  in  rendering  you  assistance,  who  so  often  want 

a  sister  upon  whom  you  can  lean  and  rely  with  confidence. 

'•  My  best  regards  to  her  and  Calvin,  as  well  as  yourself. 

"  Yours  truly, 

"J.  E.  R." 

A.  UNDERHILL. 

"Cleveland,  O.,  June  19,  1851. 
"  My  Dear  Friend  Leah  : 

"  I  trust  you  will  appreciate  the  motive  that  prompts 
me  to  write  this  to  you.  I  have  thought  much  on  the 
subject,  and  will  make  a  few  suggestions.  Your  position, 
as  a  family,  before  the  world,  is  now  of  great  importance. 
The  fact  of  communicating  with  Spirits  has  not  only  been 
fully  established  in  the  minds  of  a  few,  but  is  becoming 
generally  acknowledged  by  the  intelligent  world.  Your 
record  will  necessarily  form  a  great  part  of  the  history  of 
the  world  from  this  time  onward,  and  though  your  present 
trials  and  perplexities  seem  past  endurance,  yet  patience 
and  perseverance,  until  a  final  triumph  overtakes  you, 
should  be  your  polar  star  and  watchword. 

"  There  ever  have  been  martyrs  for  truth's  sake,  and  ever 
will  be ;  and  though  it  may  be  grievous  to  bear  the  taunts 
and  sneers  of  the  ignorant,  self-wise,  and  conceited  bigot, 
yet,  if  the  cause  demands  it  we  must  endure  the  sacrifice 
and  look  beyond  for  the  reward.  I,  who  have  battled  for 
years  with  the  enemies  of  progress,  have  become  inured  to 
their  unblushing  insolence,  and  while  I  handle  their  errors 
without  much  mercy,  I  pity  their  ignorance.  You  are 
differently  situated,  and  severely  tried  on  every  hand,  but 
you  are  enlisted  in  the  good  cause,  and  you  must  not  look 
back  but  upward    and   onward.     Thousands   are   joining 


IN    MODERN    SPIRITUALISM.  375 


your  ranks,  and  your  banner  floats  over  the  world.  We 
are  all  fighting  the  good  fight  of  faith,  and  our  motto  is, 
'  Truth  and  justice  to  all  mankind.' 

"Other  mediums  are  being  developed,  and  their  name 
will  soon  be  legion,  their  power  and  influence  irresistible. 
Already  might  you  as  well  try  to  turn  back  the  waters  of 
the  Niagara  as  to  stay  the  onward  march  of  the  cause  in 
which  you  and  your  family  have  been  selected  to  take  the 
lead  and  '  fight  the  good  fight.'  My  dear  Leah,  remember 
the  '  wise  man  '  who  '  built  his  house  upon  a  rock,  and  the 
rain  descended,  and  the  floods  came,  and  the  winds  blew, 
and  beat  upon  that  house,  and  it  fell  not ;  for  it  was 
founded  upon  a  rock.'  Let  '  false  prophets '  arise  (as  I 
know  they  will)  and  '  come  to  you  in  sheep's  clothing.' 
You  are  in  the  right  and  have  nothing  to  fear.  Manv, 
too,  will  try  to  usurp  your  rights,  but  trust  in  God.  '  Fear 
not,  neither  be  dismayed.'  Take  courage,  then,  my  dear 
friend,  and  do  not  despair.  Fight  with  reason,  truth,  and 
prudence,  but  never  surrender  to  cowardly  slander  or 
bigoted  insolence  ;  never,  never  ! 

"  Now,  what  I  wish  to  say  is  this  :  The  relations  in 
which  you  stand  to  the  origin  of  this  unbounded  subject, 
make  it  highly  important  that  your  whole  history  should 
be  carefully  preserved.  In  fact,  you  should  keep  a  daily 
journal,  and  record  therein  the  progress  and  developments 
of  this  new  (and  to  many)  startling  science — for  so  I  deem 
it.  The  fact  is  that  your  names  must  form  an  inseparable 
part  of  the  history  of  modern  Spiritualism,  and  it  is  impor- 
tant that  you  should  have  that  justice  which  the  truth  alone 
can  give  you.  Hence,  while  it  is  fresh  in  the  mind,  your 
mother,  yourself,  or  some  one  should  carefully  collect  and 
arrange  these  early  facts,  in  such  a  way  as  to  secure  them 
and  place  them  where  they  belong,  beyond  all  doubt  or 
argument ;  and  also,  as  far  as  is  in  your  power,  you  should 


376  THE   MISSING   LINK 

enter  daily,  if  but  two  or  three  times,  the  distinguished 
names  of  your  daily  investigators,  the  names  of  the  places 
you  visit,  and  the  thousand  calls  '  to  come '  from  every 
part  of  the  United  States  and  from  Europe.  Do  not 
neglect  or  deem  it  unimportant,  for  the  time  will  come 
when  it  will  be  deeply  regretted  (if  not  by  you)  by  those 
who  come  after  you.  Without  saying  more  at  this  time, 
please  accept  my  best  wishes,  and  be  assured  of  my 
co-operation  and  willingness  to  share  with  you  all  the  jeers 
and  taunts  of  sceptics  or  obstinate  bigots.  I  much  prefer 
the  former,  as  there  is  more  hope  for  the  sceptic  than  the 
bigot.  I  choose  to  stand  with  a  few  who  are  in  the  right 
rather  than  with  the  many  in  the  wrong.  Smiles  or 
frowns  are  alike  unheeded  when  they  come  from  the  ig- 
norant or  self-ivise. 

"  Most  truly  and  respectfully  your  friend, 

"  A.  Underhill." 

GEORGE    LEE,  M.D. 

"  Barre,  Mass.,  June  30,  1851. 
"  Mrs.  Ann  L.  Fish  : 

"  Dear  Madam — I  address  you  almost  as  a  stranger, 
although  I  had  the  honor  of  a  short  acquaintance  at  your 
place  in  Rochester,  last  September.  I  was  at  your  house 
on  the  same  day  with  several  clergymen  from  Massachu- 
setts. I  was  then  on  my  way  to  Mt.  Morris  on  business. 
A  lady  from  Mt.  Morris  visited  you,  a  Mrs.  Mashon  (an 
acquaintance  of  yours).  While  I  was  stopping  there 
at  her  house,  she  informed  me  that  yourself  and  sisters 
were  about  to  leave  home  for  a  time,  and  I  was  much  dis- 
appointed on  finding  you  were  all  absent  when  I  returned, 
as  I  was  then  anxious  to  further  investigate  those  myste- 
rious manifestations.  I  felt  that  I  had  been  severely 
scathed  in  this  world  by  the  loss  of  all  our  children  :  and 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  377 

although  I  was  educated  strictly  in  the  orthodox  church 
and  its  tenets,  yet  I  was  somewhat  sceptical  in  regard  to 
the  soul's  immortality.  You  cannot  wonder  that  I  should 
seek  confirmation  of  the  soul's  future  life. 

"  AVhen,  therefore,  I  heard  those  mysterious  sounds  for 
the  first  time  at  your  house,  it  produced  a  thrill  of  joy.  as 
being  the  strongest  evidence  of  a  future  life  that  I  had 
ever  met  with  ;  and  though  I  was  satisfied  that  there  was 
no  trick,  no  collusion  in  the  sounds,  yet  I  have  not  been 
so  certain  that  it  might  not  be  some  newly  developed  or 
newly  elaborated  electrical  effect ;  yet  the  evidence  is  in 
favor  of  its  Spirituality.  It  is  the  most  natural  solution 
of  the  whole  subject,  and  I  should  regret,  as  much  as  any 
one,  to  have  it  prove  otherwise. 

"  I  am  satisfied  that  the  mediums  are  honest  and  uncon- 
scious of  the  primary  cause  of  the  phenomena.  I  am 
somewhat  acquainted  with  Swedenborg's  writings,  and 
very  well  acquainted  with  A.  J.  Davis  and  his  writings. 
I  consider  Davis  and  his  writings  among  the  greatest  won- 
ders of  the  world.  That  a  young  man,  without  education, 
without  even  having  read  books,  should  have  given  to  the 
world  such  far-reaching  thought  and  profound  philosophy, 
upon  the  most  abstruse  and  metaphysical  subjects,  is  a 
marvel  indeed  !  The  history  of  mankind  cannot  produce 
a  parallel  fact.  And  yet  we  do  not  suppose  he  has  no 
errors.  He  does  not  claim  infallibility.  In  '  Nature's 
Divine  Revelations'  he  says,  'Let  then  what  I  am  im- 
pressed to  state,  be  received  as  true  or  rejected  as  false, 
as  it  addresses  itself  to  your  judgment,  or  according  to  its 
appeals  to  your  reason.' 

"  The  highest  angel  in  the  universe  could  not  give  the 
whole  philosophy  of  the  universe,  because  that  Spirit  does 
not  possess  a  perfect  knowledge  of  all  things  ;  and  I  have 
seen  many  criticisms  of  Mr.   Davis's  writings,  but  they 


378  THE   MISSING   LINK 

generally  show  that  the  writers  of  them  do  not  comprehend 
him  :  and  although  some  strictures  may  be  jnst,  the  great 
majority  of  them  evince  a  real  misapprehension  on  the 
part  of  their  authors. 

"  Le  Roy  Sunderland  has  made  two :  one  npon  Mr. 
Davis's  recent  work,  '  The  Philosophy  of  Spiritual  Inter- 
course.' In  both  of  Mr.  Sunderland's  criticisms  he  shows 
his  own  want  of  discrimination.  Dr.  Gridley  has  another 
article  in  The  Spirit  World  as  a  criticism  of  Davis.  It 
darkens  knowledge  with  words.  They  do  not  take  a  very 
comprehensive  view  of  Davis's  philosophy.  They  seem 
to  forget  that  Davis  uses  language  figuratively. 

"  I  am  somewhat  acquainted  with  Mr.  Sunderland,  have 
been  at  his  house  recently,  and  heard  the  rappings  in 
presence  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Cooper,  as  a  medium.  The 
rappings  are  obscure — not  more  than  one-quarter  as  loud 
or  as  distinct  as  I  have  heard  them  at  your  house — much 
of  the  time  so  light  as  scarcely  to  be  heard  ;  yet  I  was 
satisfied  at  the  time  that  they  were  the  same  kind  of 
sounds.  I  have  been  before  several  other  mediums ;  the 
sounds  are  all  much  smaller  than  at  your  house. 

"  Mr.  Sunderland  seems  to  be  unsettled  in  his  mind 
about  the  Spirit  world,  and  about  the  Spirits  being  good 
or  bad,  or  how  much  evil ;  and  is  rather  disposed  to  fall  in 
with  Swedenborg,  at  present,  on  that  subject.  Mr.  Sun- 
derland will  do  some  good  with  his  paper,  but  I  regret 
some  of  his  articles.  This  criticism  upon  Davis  is  most 
unjust  and  uncalled  for. 

"  I  am  confident  Mr.  Davis  is  more  correct,  more  con- 
sistent in  his  philosophy  of  the  Bible  and  the  Spirit  world, 
than  Swedenborg. 

'•  Nature  and  Reason  is  the  standard  whereby  Davis 
directs  to  test  all  these  subjects.  God  manifesting  him- 
self in  Nature,  in  the  Universe,  is  a  true  revelation  to  man, 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  379 


and  whatever  corresponds  to  the  philosophy  as  discovered 
in  Nature  is  truth. 

"If  a  revelation  is  given  us  not  in  harmony  with  phi- 
losophy which  is  known  to  he  true,  then  that  revelation  is 
false.  Davis's  standard  and  general  philosophy  cannot  be 
overthrown  ;  Davis  sometimes  being  himself  in  sympathy 
with  higher  or  purer  Spirits,  may  use  language  to  convey 
too  high  or  too  pure  conceptions  of  the  Spirit  world  ;  but  if 
Davis  is  too  high,  Swedenborg  is  too  low.  His  hells  are 
inconsistent  with  a  God  of  wisdom  ;  and  if  the  doctrine  of 
progressive  development  can  be  established,  or  is  true,  as  I 
think  it  is,  then  Swedenborg' s  doctrines  are  not  all  true  ; 
but  that  is  the  great  doctrine  of  Davis's  philosophy,  and  if 
it  is  true,  it  is  all  we  need.  Ultimately  we  must  all  be- 
come right. 

"  Although  Swedenborg  was  a  very  learned  and  good 
man,  and  was  Spiritually  enlightened  while  on  earth,  yet 
liis  mind  was  trammelled  by  his  preconceived  theological 
views.  Davis's  mind  is  under  less  bias,  and  more  free.  I 
am  well  convinced  his  writings  are  destined  to  produce  a 
great  effect  upon  Christendom.  Such  men,  or  writers,  as 
Sunderland,  Farrald,  and  others  who  follow  Swedenborg 
in  part,  do  not  seem  to  take  in  the  whole  ground  in  one 
view.  They  view  the  Universe  in  fragmentary  parts. 
They  do  not  seem  to  consider  that  a  certain  relation  exists 
between  all  things.     That 

1  All  are  but  parts  of  one  stupendous  whole, 
Whose  body  Nature  is,  and  God  the  soul  ; '  . 

that  Law  is  necessary  as  Light ;  all  is  an  effect  of  the  same 
interior  cause.  The  higher  could  not  exist  without  the 
lower;  and  surely  without  the  lower  there  could  be  no 
progress,  and  without  the  parts  the  whole  could  not  exist. 
Higher  and  lower,  evil  and  good,  heat  and  cold,  are  relative 


380  THE   MISSING   LINK 


terms,  comparatively  positive  or  negative.  I  have  not 
written  one  word  of  what  I  intended  to  write,  and  what  I 
especially  requested  a  reply  to.  So  you  see  that  nearly  my 
whole  letter  is  a  digression.     But  now  to  the  subject. 

"  I  correspond  with  the  Rev.  A.  Wilder,  of  Syracuse, 
N.  Y.,  who  lately  wrote  to  me  that  a  Doctor  Boynton,  an 
itinerant  lecturer,  had  been  at  Syracuse  and  informed 
him  and  Prof.  Bush,  of  New  York  City,  and  others,  that 
he,  the  said  Boynton,  had  been  at  your  place  at  Rochester, 
and  was  there  informed  by  a  cousin  to  yourself  (a  lady) 
how  the  rappings  were  made,  and  that  it  was  all  a  trick 
done  in  various  ways,  by  the  toes  and  by  the  fingers,  etc. 
Dr.  Boynton  said  that  he  pretended  to  be  friendly,  got 
communication  with  his  father's  Spirit  (who  was  not  dead), 
and  then  he  detected  this  lady  in  rapping  and  charged  her 
with  it ;  and  she  owned  up  to  him  and  taught  him  how  to 
rap,  which  he  was  practising.  To  me  this  seemed  absurd 
and  like  a  falsehood.  I  replied  to  my  friend,  and  used 
some  pretty  strong  language  to  convince  him  that  Dr. 
Boynton  wTas  an  impostor,  a  deceiver,  a  liar,  and  unworthy 
of  credit.  I  said  to  him  that  a  man  who  went  to  your 
place  and  was  permitted  to  investigate  the  matter  fairly, 
*  without  money  and  without  price,'  and  then  went  around 
the  country  telling  such  stories,  would  not  need  his  ears 
much  lengthened  to  bray,  and  what  I  wondered  most  at 
was,  that  Prof.  Bush  and  Rev.  A.  Wilder,  M.D. — for  he 
has  both  letters  prefixed  to  his  name — should  give  any 
credit  to  him.  But,  notwithstanding  this,  friend  Wilder 
writes  me  again  and  says  he  has  no  reason  to  question  the 
veracity  of  Dr.  Boynton. 

"  Now  I  wish  you  to  reply  to  me  and  give  me  the  facts 
in  this  case,  so  that  I  may  be  able  to  know  them,  and  re- 
late them  to  my  friends,  Doctor  Wilder  and  Prof.  Bush. 
These   two    men  are  both  Swedenborgian  preachers,  and 


Iitf   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  381 


Dr.  Wilder  is  also  a  medical  lecturer  in  the  medical  school 
in  Syracuse.  A.  J.  Davis  says,  in  his  recent  work  on 
Spiritual  intercourse,  that  the  mediums  sometimes  may 
produce  the  rapping  or  other  manifestations  unconsciously 
to  themselves :  being  impressed  by  the  Spirits  or  a  strong 
desire  to  do  what  the  Spirits  are  about  to  do,  or  what  they 
greatly  desire  themselves.  Whether  anything  of  the  kind 
occurs  with  yourself  or  sisters,  I  never  learned.  If  so, 
candidly  and  honestly  inform  me. 

"  There  are  things  which  we  shall  all  better  understand 
by  and  by. 

"  I  saw  Mr.  A.  J.  Davis  a  few  days  ago.  He  says,  '  There 
is  a  better  time  coming.'  I  don't  know  whether  this  wiil 
reach  you  at  Rochester.  I  believe  you  are  much  absent. 
1  heard  from  you  in  Buffalo  through  a  Mrs.  Bond,  of  Mt. 
Morris.  You  will  recollect  a  rather  tall,  light-complexiojied 
lady  who  had  lost  a  sister  and  infant.  She  read  to  me  her 
questions  and  answers  to  them  before  yourself  and  sister 
Margaretta.  This  lady  is  talented,  one  of  earth's  progres- 
sive spirits.  She  first  informed  me  of  the  opposition  you 
met  with  in  Buffalo.  Since  then  I  have  noticed  in  the 
papers  your  reply,  etc.,  to  Doctors  Lee,  Flint,  and  Cov- 
entry. 

"  You  have  my  sympathy  in  your  trials.  It  appears  to 
me  that  you  have  great  reason  to  rejoice  that  you  were  in- 
strumental, in  the  hands  of  Supreme  Powers,  in  giving  to 
the  world  a  more  substantial  assurance  of  an  immortality, 
and  you  have,  through  the  tests  you  freely  submitted  to, 
forever  silenced  the  theory  of  C.  Chauncy  Burr,  and  put 
to  shame  his  emissaries.  I  have  but  little  fellowship  with 
Dr.  Charles  A.  Lee,  of  Buffalo,  although  I  bear  the  same 
title  and  am  a  relative  of  his.  Mrs.  Mashon,  of  Mt.  Mor- 
ris, is  a  friend  to  you,  and  said  she  was  formerly  a  neigh- 
bor  of   your.-.      Her  testimony  gave  you  a  good  moral 


382  THE   MISSING   LINK 


character.     It  might  be  useful,  if  necessary,  in  your  case 
with  Burr. 

"  I  do  not  know  what  your  intentions  may  be  with  G. 
C.  Burr,  but  am  glad  you  noticed  him  as  you  did.  lie  is 
a  great  impostor.     Mr.  Grimes  is  another. 

"  Yours  fraternally, 

"Geo.  W.  Lee,  M.D." 

JOHN    E.    ROBINSON. 

"  Rochester,  March  23,  1852, 

"  Dear  Friend  Leah  :  It  is  alike  a  pleasure  and  a  duty 
fop  me  to  thank  you  for  your  very  welcome  letter,  which 
came  to  hand  this  morning.  A  letter  from  you  had  be- 
come of  so  rare  occurrence,  that  this  was,  I  assure  yon, 
particularly  pleasant  to  me.  It  reminded  me  forcibly  of 
some  favors  of  the  kind  which  past  years  bear  record  of, 
and  which  served,  in  no  slight  degree,  to  give  me  those 
more  pleasurable  emotions  in  which  consists  the  happiness 
of  life.  I  thank  you  very  much  for  the  message  trans- 
mitted. There  is  something  in  the  communication  very 
like  that  sister  from  whom  it  purports  to  come.  So  like, 
that  after  reading  it  and  pondering  upon  the  language,  I 
fell  into  a  half  reverie,  and  imagined  I  could  see  through 
the  veil  that  separates  us,  and  could  read  in  the  eyes  that 
looked  lovingly  upon  her  brother,  a  confirmation  of  that 
which  your  pen  transcribed  for  me.  I  will  keep  it  a  long 
time,  as  a  remembrance,  and  will  be  again  obliged,  when- 
ever a  repetition  of  the  favor  may  be  experienced  without 
taxing  your  patience  and  generosity  beyond  its  friendly 
bounds.  I  presume  I  should  have  become  a  medium  long 
ago  if  my  condition  had  been  suitable ;  I  have  no  doubt  of 
the  wisdom  of  the  Spirits  in  refraining  from  intrusting 
me  with  the  commission  such  mediumship  would  have  im- 


IN  MODERN  SPIRITUALISM.  3S3 

posed.  My  nervous  temperament  is  somewhat  peculiar, 
and  I  am  quite  satisfied  now  that  I  would  have  been  a  poor 
servant  of  the  cause,  if  anything  like  a  position  in  the  front 
ranks  of  it  had  been  assigned  me. 

"  As  it  is  I  am  as  ever  a  deeply  interested  spectator  of 
the  events  as  they  transpire,  and  looking,  with  entire  and 
unflagging  confidence,  for  the  time  coming  when  the  more 
glorious  fruits  of  these  newly  developed  truths  will  ripen 
for  the  eye  best  fitted  to  appreciate  them.  I  think,  some- 
times, that  this  Spiritualism  advances  upon  the  world  of 
mind  as  the  inflowing  tide  of  ocean  floods  the  shore.  It 
seems  to  come  in  waves ;  each  succeeding  one  beats  fur- 
ther upon  the  strand  than  its  predecessor.  Is  it  not  so  ? 
And  is  there  not  in  the  one  an  approximation  to  the 
grandeur  of  the  other?  But  you  never  stood,  when  a 
child,  on  Xewport  beach,  and  may  not  see  the  meaning  of 
my  remark.  I  have  tried  to  watch  these  things  clearly, 
and.  without  a  spirit  of  assumption,  I  think  I  may  say  I 
have  made  no  great  mistake  in  the  matter  in  its  earliest 
stage.  I  predicted  the  very  course,  on  the  part  of  the 
priesthood,  which  they  have  since  taken  (see  Charles 
Ueecher s  report).  I  claim  no  shrewdness  for  this,  because 
it  is  the  only  one  they  can  take  and  maintain  themselves 
to  their  last  hour.  It  is  their  last  stronghold !  and  when 
that  falls  they  fall  with  it.  Xow  of  your  proposed  visit  to 
Rochester.  The  friends  will,  of  course,  be  very  glad  to 
see  you,  and  will  expect  you  to  make  less  haste  to  getaway. 
I  told  Isaac  what  you  said  about  it,  but  have  not  yet  seen 
Amy.  Her  health  is  much  improved,  and  she  is  the  same 
blessed  woman  she  ever  was,  and,  I  know,  wants  to  have  a 
good  visit  from  you  and  Katie  Fox. 

"  Yours  truly, 

"J.  E.  R." 


384  THE   MISSING   LINK 


SAME. 

"Rochester,  May  23,  1852. 
"  Dear  Friend  Leah  : 

"  So  you  have  really  broken  your  long  and  persevering- 
silence  !  I  am  obliged  to  you  for  the  letter,  which  was  re- 
ceived last  evening,  and  especially  for  the  postscript  added 
thereunto.  You  know  it  is  said  that  a  woman's  letter  is 
never  finished  without  a  p.  b.  ;  but  it  is  seldom  so  generous 
in  its  dimensions,  or  so  full  of  sentiment,  as  to  outweigh 
that  to  which  it  is  appended. 

-  "  What  a  dishonest  world  this  is  !  Your  letter  is  half 
cheerful,  half  sad ;  and  I,  who  know  your  life  about  as 
well  as  any  one,  do  not  wonder  that  it  should  be  so.  I  am 
thankful,  Leah,  that  the  Recording  Angel  always  tells 
a  straight  story  upon  the  pages  of  his  manuscript ;  thank- 
ful for  myself,  for  you,  and  for  others,  that  we  are  not  to  be 
judged  in  that  Court  whose  sentence  is  final  upon  ex-parte 
evidence.  Had  my  lot  in  early  life  been  cast  as  yours 
was,  I  do  not  think  I  should  be  as  good  as  you  are,  or  even 
as  happy. 

"  And  this  task  which  the  Spirits  have  imposed  upon 
you  of  late  years,  is  anything  but  a  light  one.  It  has  its 
brighter  side,  as  I  well  know,  its  lightening  influences ; 
and  were  this  not  the  case,  no  one,  not  even  yourself,  could 
endure  the  wear  constant  and  severe,  upon  the  mind,  for 
a  single  year.  I  can  only  advise  you  (just  here),  as  I  often 
have,  to  devote  sufficient  time  to  rest ;  and  do  not  rob 
yourself  of  that  which  nature  demands,  and  which  she  will 
have  or  impose  a  penalty. 

"  I  am  glad  to  know  that  you  find  friends,  whom  you  do 
so  much  prize,  among  your  lady  visitors.  You  and  I  agree 
in  one  thing  at  least,  that  a  true  and  noble- souled  woman 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  385 

is  worth  a  thousand  of  the  average  standard ;  and  it  is 
something  to  be  able  to  appreciate  and  love  such  a  char- 
acter.    Do  you  not  think  so  ? 

"  Isaac  and  Amy  received  your  letter  to  them  to-day  and 
sent  it  to  me  to  read. 

"  Your  friend, 

"  J.  E.  K." 


380  THE   MISSING   LINK 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

MISCELLANEOUS  LETTERS  {Continued). 

E.  F.  Norton — John  E.  Robinson — Governor  N.  P.  Tallmadge — 
Pauline  M.  Davis — Same— JonN  E.  Robinson — Prof.  I.  Jay 
Watson. 

"  Cincinnati,  June  14,  1852. 

<4,Miss  Catherine  Fox  and  Sisters  : 

"  Permit  me  to  offer  a  few  thoughts  in  reference  to 
your  late  visit  to  the  Queen  City.  Having  spent  the  day 
in  calling  on  a  number  of  the  friends  who  visited  you 
while  here,  I  find  but  one  opinion,  and  that  of  regret  at 
the  necessity  of  your  having  to  leave  so  soon.  I  have  just 
left  the  AValnut  Street  House.  The  captain  informs  me 
that  no  less  than  fifty  persons  had  called  to  see  you  during 
the  day.  lie  said,  '  They  came  by  carriage  loads.'  Your 
friend  Sweeney,  the  proprietor,  is  on  the  anxious-seat. 
The  Spirit  told  him  that  a  sister  of  his,  residing  in  Texas, 
was  dead.  He  received  a  letter  this  morning,  after  you 
left,  conveying  the  sad  intelligence  of  the  death  of  that 
sister.  I  think  he  may  be  classed  as  a  convert  to  the 
cause.  I  can  but  think  that,  had  you  remained  another 
week,  the  receipts  would  have  doubled.  The  friends  feel 
that  to  wait  till  September  is  out  of  the  question.  Do 
prevail  on  one  of  your  sisters,  Mrs.  Fish,  Margaretta,  or 
Mrs.  Smith,  to  return  with  you  immediately.  "Will  not 
the  good  Spirits  approve  of  it  ?  It  does  seem  to  me  that 
Cincinnati  is  the  best  point  in  the  West,  both  in  a  pecuni- 
ary point  of  view  and  for  the  advancement  of  the  cause. 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  387 


Miss  Cronk,  of  Painesville,  and  her  father,  are  expected 
here  soon,  the  circle  having  written  and  received  an  an- 
swer that  they  would  come.  Should  they  come,  it  will  be 
for  the  benefit  of  the  circle,  and  cannot  interfere  with  your 
visit.  My  Spiritual  friends  are  all  telegraphing  me  while 
writing,  in  approbation,  perhaps,  of  what  I -am  saying.  ■  I 
forgot  to  give  you  the  book  containing  the  list  of  the 
names  of  the  visitors.  I  will  copy  it  and  enclose  it  to  you. 
Please  advise  your  sisters,  and  believe  me 

"  Yours  truly, 

"  E.  F.  Norton." 

"Clipper  Ship  Sea  Serpent, 
Pacific  Ocean,  June  21,  1852.     Lat.  22  N.,  Long.  118  W. 

"  My  Dear  Fkientj  : 

"  My  association  with  your  family,  during  the  past 
summer  and  winter,  I  trust  is  a  sufficient  apologj'  for  the 
liberty  I  take  in  addressing  you.  The  past  three  months 
have  offered  a  good  time  for  reflection,  and  I  acknowledge 
to  a  feeling  of  solicitude  for  you  all.  I  know  you  have 
friends  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  but,  I  am  sorry  to  say, 
even  some  of  your  best  friends  sometimes  fail  to  appre- 
ciate the  severe  tests  through  which  you  are  compelled  to 
pass,  in  order  to  prove  the  genuineness  of  Spirit  manifes- 
tations. You  will  oblige  me  very  much  if  you  will  write 
me  particulars  in  regard  to  your  success  in  your  new  home, 
surrounded  by  new  friends,  etc.,  etc. 

"  Mi-.  Greeley  expressed  a  hope  that  you  would  stop  at 
his  home  until  your  house  is  settled  and  ready  for  occupa- 
tion. He  also  expects  that  Katv  will  accept  his  invitation 
to  come  immediately  to  attend  school,  and  remain  with 
them  until  you  are  settled  in  New  York.  It  is  only  since 
my  sea-life  that  I  have  fully  realized  the  situation.  You 
are  exposed  to  the  scoffs  and  ridicule  of  the  masses,  at  all 


388  THE   MISSING   LINK 


times  and  in  all  places.  This  great  and  important  truth  is 
destined  to  revolutionize  the  world,  and  will  render  your 
names  a  part  of  the  history  of  the  age.  It  has  already 
done  so.  I  shall  claim  as  a  right  from  you,  occasionally, 
a  full  account  of  the  progress  of  the  cause.  The  subject 
has  been  a  very  dear  one  to  me.  In  fact,  I  feel  that  I  am 
living  in  a  different  sphere  since  I  have  been  acquainted 
with  the  object  of  my  own  existence,  and  have  a  clearer 
perception  of  a  life  beyond.  I  can  realize  the  truth  of 
that  saying,  so  common  with  the  good  old  Methodists, 
viz.,  '  I  enjoy  a  peace  that  the  world  cannot  give  nor  take 
away.' 

*  "We  are  now  almost  one  thousand  miles  from  San 
Francisco,  being  only  four  or  five  days'  sail,  with  a  fair 
wind.  Unfortunately,  however,  the  wind  is  turned  un- 
favorable, and  we  may  be  as  many  weeks.  This  is  our 
one  hundred  and  fourth  day  at  sea,  without  landing,  hav- 
ing travelled  some  fifteen  thousand  miles. 

"  Our  voyage,  on  the  whole,  has  been  very  pleasant. 
The  weather  has  been  remarkably  fine.  We  have  not  ex- 
perienced one  day  of  what  the  sailors  term  rough  weather. 
Our  passage  round  Cape  Horn,  the  place  so  much  dreaded 
by  all  voyagers,  was  unusually  favorable.  We  were  only 
three  days  in  getting  round,  while  it  is  common  for  ships 
to  be  from  fifteen  to  thirty.  The  greatest  treat  of  the 
v<  >yage  is  the  sunsets  on  this  side.  Their  wondrous  beau- 
ties baffle  every  attempt  at  description.  Will  you  have 
the  kindness  to  send  by  mail  the  piece  of  music,  '  Haunted 
Ground '  ? 

"  With  kind  regards  to  all,  I  remain  yours  truly, 

"  E.  F.  Norton." 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  389 


JOHN    E.    ROBINSON. 

"Rochester,  N.  Y.,  October  20,  1853. 
"  Dear  Friend  Leah  : 

"  I  have  received  your  note  of  a  recent  date,  and  am 
obliged  to  you  for  it,  as  I  always  am  for  a  letter  from  you. 
But,  what  is  the  matter  with  you  ?  your  letter  is  deeply 
tinged  with  sadness,  and  reads  very  much  as  I  feel  some- 
times, though  from  a  different  cause  from  any  which 
appeared  in  yours. 

"You  have,  or  had  just  then,  a  Xovember  mood  on,  and 
here  it  is  October,  and  a  clear  and  bright  sky  ;  and  although 
it  be  autumn,  it  is  one  of  no  common  beauty.  What  has 
crossed  your  path  ?  Are  you  not  blessed  with  friends  good 
and  true  ?  such  as  you  used  to  tell  me  of  ?  and  if  your 
health  is  passingly  good,  what  is  there  standing  between 
you  and  your  share  of  happiness  ?  I  suppose  I  might  give 
answers  to  these  questions  by  looking  in  upon  my  own  life 
record  :  for  a  human  is  a  human,  and  we  are  all  of  a  piece 
in  most  things.  But  your  letter  leads  me  to  these  questions, 
and  so  my  pen  has  asked  them.  You  do  not  say  a  word 
about  Spirits,  or  what  they  and  you  are  doing,  leaving  me  to 
guess  everything  which' I  would  know  about  those  things. 

"  You  recollect  Frederica  Bremer  paid  you  a  visit  on 
Troup  Street  when  she  was  in  this  country.  Pier  manner 
and  remarks,  as  you  related  them  to  me,  I  remember  in  a 
general  way,  particularly  as  she  was,  on  account  of  her 
eminent  literary  character,  a  marked  personage  ;  and  I 
was  somewhat  surprised  this  evening,  when  I  read  an  ex- 
tract from  her  recent  book  of  travels  in  America,  in  which 
she  gives  an  account  of  her  interview  with  yourself  and 
sisters.  It  is  evident  that  she  was  false  to  you,  or  else  she 
is  false  to  thejjuhlic  who  now  read  her  work.     I  mention 


300  THE   MISSING   LINK 

this  as  a  passing  matter  of  but  little  consequence  in  itself, 
disconnected  with  other  considerations,  but  which  are  in- 
separable therefrom. 

"  She  is,  through  her  writings,  the  familiar  and  admired 
companion  in  countless  homes  here  and  elsewhere  ;  and 
her  opinions  pass  as  of  more  value  than  those  of  most  per- 
sons. I  regret  exceedingly  that,  for  some  cause,  she  has 
said  either  more  or  less  than  what  seems  to  her  the  truth. 
In  the  long  run  it  will  make  no  difference  to  truth  itself, 
but  I  do  so  hate  to  see  one,  whom  I  consider  a  noble 
spirit,  swerve  a  hair's  breadth  from  the  path  of  honor, 
merely  to  minister  to  the  current  opinions  of  a  world  that 
it  should  be  too  proud  to  bow  to.  It  is  but  another  in- 
stance, another  illustration  of  the  truth  of  what  I  have 
often  said  to  you  and  our  friend  George  Willets,  that  there 
never  has  been  anything  which  so  severely  tried  the  in- 
tegrity of  men  and  women  as  does  this  Spiritualism. 

"  The  Rochester  Union  tells  us  you  have  quietly  set- 
tled down  in  a  place  called  Harmony,  Chautauqua  Co. 
No  other  paper  has  the  news. 

"  ^  ours'  "  J.  E.  E." 

GOVERNOR   N.    P.    TALLMADGE. 

"Foxd  du  Lac,  Wis.,  March  27,  1857. 
"  Dear  Mrs.  Brown  : 

"  I  received  yesterday  from  Judge  Smith  the  communica- 
tion through  you  from  my  wife  deceased.  It  was  remark- 
able and  significant  in  every  point  of  view.  Judge  Smith 
writes  that  her  name  was  not  known  to  him  nor  to  you, 
and  he  did  not  know  whether  it  be  right  or  wrong.  I  wish 
to  say  to  you,  it  is  exactl}-  right — both  the  Christian  name 
and  the  middle  letter ;  and  it  is  remarkable  that  whilst 
Judge  Smith  spells  my  name,  as  almost  all  persons  spell  it, 
with  only  one  '  1,'  to  wit  TaZmadge,  the  name  as  rapped 


EN    MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  391 

out,  letter  by  letter,  is  correctly  spelled  with  two  '  l's,'  to 
wit,  Tallmadge. 

"  I  was  much  gratified  with  your  note  of  condolence  ap- 
pended to  the  communication.  I  know  your  sincerity,  and 
I  appreciate  your  sympathy.  You  know  the  pain  of  sepa- 
ration, and  the  severance  of  such  earthly  ties.  But  how  my 
views  have  changed  from  what  they  were  when  my  son 
William  died !  I  had  no  peace  for  years  till  I  began  to 
communicate  with  him  through  3-011.  Death  now  has  no 
terrors  for  me.  I  feel  that  the  separation  from  beloved 
friends  and  relatives  is  but  temporary — and  that,  by  a  pure 
life  here,  we  shall  soon  be  again  united  in  'another  and  a  bet- 
ter world,'  where  there  will  be  no  more  separation  forever. 

"  With  kindest  regards  to  your  mother  and  sisters,  I  re- 
main, very  truly,  ,,  v        £  •     j 
'        J         J'  "  1  our  friend, 

"X.  P.  Tallmadge. 
"  Mrs.  Ann  Leah  Brown, 
No.  1  Ludlow  Place,  New  York." 

PAULINE    W.    DAVIS. 

"Providence,  Augusts,  1857. 
u  My  Dear  Mrs.  B. : 

"  A  writer,  whom  I  have  been  recently  reading,  says : 
'I  count  life  not  by  years  but  by  the  acquaintances  I  form 
and  value,  hence  if  I  make  a  love  I  double  or  even  treble 
that  year.' 

"  In  that  sense  I  would  like  to  be  old,  for  I  would  like 
to  have  many  real  loves. 

"  I  am  glad  of  my  visit  to  New  York,  for  I  learned  that 
my  heart  was  not  cold  when  any  one  came  near  me  with 
the  power  to  rouse  me. 

"Deeply  as  I  am  interested  in  the  new  philosophy  you 
are  a  chosen  teacher  of,  still  I  am  more  interested  in, you 
as  a  woman  ;  a  woman  whose  heart  is  alive  to  all  that  is 
good  and  great,  and  that  has  been  purified  by  a  high  love. 


392  THE   MISSING   LINK 

"  It  is  not  often,  as  I  told  you,  that  I  make  any  demon- 
strations of  affection  (and  I  have  been  so  long  called  cold 
that  I  begin  to  think  I  am  rather  so).  Nor  do  I  often 
express  admiration  ;  but  toward  you  I  was  impelled  to 
offer  much ;  and  now,  in  writing  you,  were  I  to  utter  all 
the  warm  feelings  that  awaken  in  my  heart  toward  you,  I 
fear  you  might  think  me  weak  and  enthusiastic — or  worse, 
insincere ;  which  God  forbid  I  should  ever  be. 

"  You  are  my  opposite  in  almost  everything.  This  may 
account  for  my  admiration,  but  not  for  my  love  ;  for  it  is 
not  every  one  that  I  can  love.  I  have  looked  about  to  see 
what  I  could  do  among  my  friends,  and  what  inducement 
-I  could  offer  3-011  to  come ;  which  is  very  little  indeed  be- 
yond a  warm  welcome  to  our  little  cottage  and  hearts.  Our 
friends  are  nearly  all  absent,  but  some  half-dozen  gentle- 
men wish  much  to  have  you  come.  So  your  expenses 
would  be  insured,  and  you  should  have  rest,  quiet,  and  the 
perfect  protection  of  our  house ;  and  I  think  you  would 
enjoy  the  freshness  of  the  country.  It  is  so  green  and 
lovely  now  that  it  seems  like  June.  I  have  been  in  Boston 
and  saw  my  dear  boy,  who  will  come  down  to  see  you  if 
you  come.  I  also  obtained  for  you  a  beautiful  thimble,  so 
do  not  bring  one  for  yourself.  Please  let  me  hear  from  you 
at  once,  and  if  you  will  come — what  day.  We  will  then 
meet  you  with  our  carriage  and  take  care  of  you.  My 
husband  is  greatly  interested  in  my  story,  but  can't  realize 
the  truth  in  the  least.  [This  refers  to  a  remarkable  cure 
of  Mrs.  Davis  by  Mrs.  B.  which  will  be  found  in  the 
chapter  on  Spirit  Cures,  page  364. — Ed.] 

"  God  bless  you,  my  dear  friend. 

"  Pauline  W.  Davis. 

"  Mrs.  J.  is  not  well,  but  is  out  with  my  husband 
driving." 


IX    MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  393 


SAME. 

"Providence,  June  12,  1859. 

"  My  Dear  Mrs.  Underbill  : 

"  I  have  been  waiting  a  long  time,  lioping  to  hear  from 
you  and  to  have  that  visit  appointed.  Xow  the  country 
is  so  beautiful  I  must  urge  you  to  come  and  enjoy  it  with 
me.  Last  evening  I  met  Mr.  Bartlett,  who  inquired  for 
you  and  hoped  you  would  come  very  soon.  lie  gives  a 
strawberry  party  on  Saturday  evening  of  this  week.  You 
shall  see  just  whom  you  would  like  to  see,  and  no  others. 
You  shall  ride,  walk,  or  rest,  just  as  you  like,  and  have  a 
good  time,  that  shall  make  you  forget  all  the  disagreeables 
of  the  past.  How  fortunate  it  is  that  we  have  the  ability 
to  forget  some  things,  and  that  the  heart  prefers  to  retain 
the  beautiful  and  cast  aside  the  evil.  Come  next  week,  as 
then  I  shall  have  strawberries  in  abundance  and  cherries 
too.  Mr.  Underbill  must  come  for  you.  If  lie  comes 
with  you,  he  will  hurry  you  away  too  soon,  I  know,  and 
there  are  a  thousand  things  for  us  to  talk  about.  My 
little  Maybell  is  in  splendid  health  and  spirits.  Give  my 
kind  regards  to  Mr.  Underbill,  and  tell  him  to  give  you 
leave  of  absence  now.  Let  me  hear  from  you  soon.  If 
you  come  by  the  Fall  River  boat  yen  have  a  beautiful  .-ail 
up  the  river,  and  be  here  to  breakfast  about  half-past  ten 
o'clock. 

"  I  will  meet  you  with  a  carriage  at  the  wharf. 
"  Yours  with  much  affection, 
(Signed)  "  Pauline  \V.  Davis." 


394  THE   MISSING   LINK 


JOHN    E.    ROBINSON. 

"New  York,  October  1,  1884. 
"  My  Kind  Friend,  Mrs.  Underhill  : 

"  Learning  that  }rou  are  about  having  published  a  new 
book  on  the  general  subject  of  Modern  Spiritualism,  and 
that,  in  connection  therewith,  you  propose  to  avail  your- 
self of  such  writings  of  mine  as  were  suggested  by  a  care- 
ful study  of  its  phenomenal  facts  during  the  early  days  of 
their  occurrence;  I  write  now  to  say  that,  so  far  from 
having  any  objections  to  such  a  design,  I  acquiesce  promptly 
*and  thoroughly  in  your  request. 

"  Furthermore,  if  any  letters  of  mine,  either  of  a  public 
or  private  character,  can  be  of  service  to  you,  you  need 
not,  as  a  suggestion  of  delicacy,  withhold  my  name. 
What  is  truth  to  me,  I  utter,  if  the  occasion  seems  to  call 
for  its  expression. 

"It  has  occurred  to  me,  in  this  connection,  that  some 
thoughts  of  my  maturer  years,  which  have  quite  recently 
passed  through  my  mind,  may  be  pertinent  to  the  general 
subject. 

"  Without  being  censorious,  and  desiring  to  keep  strictly 
within  the  bounds  of  propriety,  allow  me  to  say  that  I  have 
noted  a  marked  tendency,  especially  in  these  latter  years, 
of  a  more  general  atheistic  quality  in  public  thought  upon 
the  general  subjects  which  lie  at  the  base  of  all  human  re- 
ligious belief. 

"  I  might,  perhaps,  italicize  what  I  refer  to,  as  a  near 
approach  to  a  positive  unbelief,  in  most  grades  of  modern 
intellects ;  from  the  most  gifted  to  those  lower  strata 
which  take  their  initial  thoughts  from  their  superiors. 

"  Now  it  seems  to  me  on  reflection,  during  a  long  season 
when  my  thoughts  have  been  almost  my  only  companions, 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  395 


that  the  cause  of  all  this  general  declension  or  'eclipse  of 
faith '  is,  that  Science  has  taught  too  much,  unless  it  teaches 
more  ! 

"  I  would  rather  phrase  it,  however  (for  the  emendation 
is  a  better  solution),  that  the  true  teachings  of  science  have 
not  been  followed  out  to  their  ultimates. 

'•  Now,  to  my  apprehension,  this  is  a  most  grievous  error, 
and  was  well  expressed  by  the  poet  who  penned  the  lines, 

'  Oh,  star-eyed  Science  !  hast  thou  wandered  there 
To  bring  us  back  the  tidings  of  Despair  ?  ' 

"  Science  lias,  as  I  apprehend  it — and  I  would  not  be  er- 
roneous in  my  judgment,  nor  willingly  harsh — generally 
impressed  the  intellects  of  its  votaries  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  lead  them  intellectually  to  find,  nothing  heyond  the 
<h  mental  matter  of  the  Universe  as  their  eyes  behold  it. 
Exceptions  there  have  been,  and  are,  to  this  general  charge  ; 
but  they  arc  rare.  To  refer  in  especial  to  the  fact  stated 
(without  being  ungenerously  personal),  I  may  add  that  the 
acknowledged  highest  and  most  accomplished  medical  au- 
thority in  New  York  to-day  (so  I  am  informed)  hesitates 
not  to  aver,  as  his  best  and  highest  conviction,  that  when 
a  human  body  is  thoroughly  dissected  upon  his  table,  he 
has  shown  to  his  class  of  students  all  that  was  or  is  of  the 
specimen  of  humanity,  save  the  extinct  principle  of  animal 
existence. 

"This  is  simply  bald,  blank  atheism! 

"  It  is  an  undoubted  fact  that  such  an  opinion  may  be  held 
by  many  a  man  of  sincerity  ;  but  such  products  have  been 
initiated  by  the  gross  sensuousness  of  the  religious  thought, 
that  has  given  form  and subsiana  to  what  should  never 
have  been  considered  as  coming  within  the  range  of  things 
designated  by  and  possessing  those  attributes. 

"  Let  me  explain,  if  lean,  to  the  comprehension  of  such 


890  THE   MISSING   LINK 

as  may,  perchance,  read  this,  the  nature  of  the  Faith  that 
is  in  me. 

"  I  am  willing  in  my  elder  days  to  live  by  it,  and  to  be 
judged  of  it  by  the  enlightened  convictions  of  my  fellow- 
men  while  I  live  upon  this  earth,  and  by  that  Deity  in 
whom  I  verily  believe. 

"  I  know — we  all  know — of  the  imperious  forces  of  na- 
ture which  rock  a  continent  or  roll  back  an  ocean  from 
its  shores. 

"  We  also  know  something  of  gigantic  and  of  microscopic 
life ;  of  the  intelligence  of  animated  nature,  through  all 
its  varied  and  wonderful  forms ;  we  know  and  study  the 
wonders  of  the  human  intellect,  even  from  (I  might  almost 
say)  the  first  dawn  of  life. 

"We  are  all,  more  or  less,  conversant  with  the  action  of 
principles  which  inhere  in  many  species  of  vegetable  life, 
in  which  we  note  a  rare  and  exquisite  faculty  of  sensation, 
which  mirrors  in  its  perfection  the  faculty  of  human  con- 
sciousness, and  human  ingenuity. 

"  We  look,  not  upward  nor  downward — for  those  terms 
are  inadmissible  in  this  connection — but  outward  from  our 
standpoint ;  and  what  do  we  see  ?  The  heavens,  as  the 
ancients  called  what  their  limited  vision  revealed  to  them. 
Under  Galileo's  lead  we  look  again,  aided  by  the  telescope 
of  moderate  power,  and,  beyond  that  gathered  in  our  first 
field  of  sight,  we  find  another  countless  host  of  stars.  Tired 
with  the  result  we  think  and  rest.  Recuperating  our 
wearied  eyes,  we  substitute  an  instrument  of  higher  power, 
and  again  peer  into  the  realm  of  Infinitude.  And  again 
another  congeries  of  stars  is  opened  to  our  human  vision. 
Repeat  the  process  as  we  may,  and  as  often  as  we  choose, 
increase  the  penetrating  power  of  our  instrument,  the  same 
fact  remains.  There  is  no  end,  no  limitation.  But  in  all 
these  results  of  our  inquisitorial  efforts  we  discover  one 


IN    MODERN'    SPIRITUALISM.  397 

preponderating  law — that  of  nndeviating  order.  This  is  the 
one  omnipresent  principle  by  which  their  movements  are 
governed. 

"Law,  in  this  sense  at  least,  must  be  and  is  the  result  of 
dictation  by  the  highest  wisdom,  and  necessitates-  the  ex- 
istence of  Deity.  I  use  the  term  because  it  is  the  only  one 
which  is  pertinent  to  the  subject  and  idea  to  be  expressed. 
The  word  God  is  the  outcome  of  the  earlier  ages  of  com- 
parative intellectual  darkness.  The  highest  mental  status 
of  mankind  at  that  time  could  not  apprehend  a  Ruler  of 
the  Universe  except  as  clothed  with  a  form  somewhat  an- 
alogous to  that  of  a  human  being,  and  hence  the  rather 
presumptuous  declaration  that.  '  God  created  man  in  His 
own  image.' 

'•  We  can  readily  apprehend  this. 

"If,  on  contemplation,  we  look  the  august  question 
squarely  in  the  face,  we  can  most  certainly  reach  the  con- 
clusion that  this  Ideal  is  the  highest  possible  one,  and 
centres  within  itself  all  things  else  requisite  to  an  intelli- 
gent apprehension  of  what  we  are  striving  to  reach.  To 
illustrate — if  we  have  not  already  covered  the  basic  ground 
of  the  thought — all  the  most  potent  and  irresistible  forces 
of  Nature  are  strictly  impalpable  ;  and  yet  we  know  some- 
what of  their  lurkings  ;  and  such  star-eyed  minds  as  that 
of  a  Morse  can  reverently  and  gently  lead  them  in  the  di- 
rection of  human  pathways. 

"This  conviction  may  be  considered  as  the  final  result 
of  the  eager  inquiry  of  honest  and  intelligent  human 
minds.  I  think  it  the  reflex  of  the  conviction  of  Eng- 
land's Newton,  and  I  accept  and  retain  it  as  a  finality  of 
the  question.  It  ennobles  instead  of  dwarfing  one's  concep- 
tion of  a  Ruler  of  all  things,  and  gives  us  a  stable  as  well 
as  a  rational  and  intellectual  standpoint  of  observation,  of 
faith,  and  of  love.     Higher  than  the  God  of  earlier  wor- 


398  TIIE   MISSING   LINK 

ship,  because  entirely  removed  from  the  sensuous  percep- 
tions ;  not  fashioned  after  the  crude  and  dimly  visioned 
ideals  of  elder  time,  it  is  sufficient  for  the  highest  yearn- 
ings of  all  Humanity,  and  must  necessarily  ennoble  the 
faith  of.  all  with  whom  it  shall  live  as  the  great  exponent 
of  Power,  Truth,  and  Love. 

"  I  remain,  sincerely,  as  ever,        . 

"  Your  friend, 

"  J.  E.  BOBINSON."  * 

The  following  letter  will  explain  itself.  Professor  J. 
Jay  Watson  needs  no  description.  He  was  an  intimate 
friend  of  Ole  Bull,  who  bequeathed  to  him  his  favorite 
violin,  on  which  instrument  he  is  himself  a  consummate 
performer,  while  his  little  son,  Emmons  Watson,  bids  fair 
some  day  to  rival  Ole  Bull  himself.  His  direction  of  the 
music  at  the  Centennial  of  1S76,  and  his  popular  "  dime 
concerts"  in  New  York,  attended  by  some  hundreds  of 
thousands,  have  made  Professor  Watson  not  less  widely 
known  than  he  is  everywhere  highly  respected,  for  his 
philanthropy  as  well  as  musical  genius  and  powers. 

A.  L.  U. 

"  Mrs.  A.  Leah  Underbill  : 

"Highly  Esteemed  Friend — It  is  with  unfeigned 
pleasure  that  I  comply  with  your  request  to  furnish  you 

*  "  The  writer  is  quite  aware  that  if  this  letter,  or  its  substance,  should 
be  used  as  a  part  of  the  text  of  your  book,  it  may  be  perused  by  some 
who  will  pronounce  its  final  and  legitimate  conclusions  as  but  a  reflex  or 
embodiment  of  ancient  Pantheism.  I  think,  however,  that  the  more 
critical  of  its  observers— if  such  it  may  and  I  hope  will  have — will  dis- 
cover a  wide  divergence  from  that  form  of  belief ;  which  is  really,  if 
rightly  apprehended,  totally  at  variauoe  with  the  central  idea  which  I 
intend  reverently  to  express. 

"J.  E.  R.» 


IN    MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  399 

with  an  account  of  my  strange  experience  while  visiting 
San  Francisco,  Cal.,  in  company  with  Ole  Bull,  the  vio- 
linist, in  1S70. 

"  I  cheerfully  give  the  facts  as  the)*  occurred,  and  it  seems 
eminently  proper  that  the  incident  which  I  am  about  to 
relate  should  occupy-  a  place  in  your  forthcoming  book, 
when  we  recollect  that  the  problem  involved  was  solved 
through  your,  marvellous  mediumistic  powers. 

••  My  father-in-law,  Mr.  Samuel  Parsons,  formerly  an 
old  and  revered  citizen  of  Gloucester,  Mass.,  and  who 
passed  to  the  life  beyond  in  1865,  had  for  many  years  been 
noted  for  his  remarkable  prophecies  as  to  the  coming  of 
future  events,  as  well  as  a  strict  regard  for  honesty  and 
truth.  AVe  frequently  talked  of  the  change  called  death, 
and  as  we  were  both  somewhat  materialistic  in  our  views 
as  to  a  future  state  of  existence,  we  mutually  agreed  that 
the  one  who  should  be  first  called  to  pay  the  debt  of  nature, 
would,  if  there  was  a  possibility  of  Spirit  return,  with  suf- 
ficient power  to  tangibly  manifest  his  presence,  surely  do 
so ;  and  in  order  that  there  could  be  no  mistaking  the  in- 
dividual identity,  he  would  seize  the  one  still  in  earth-life 
by  the  hair  of  his  head  and  forcibly  pull  him  from  his  bed 
to  the  floor. 

"  Laughable,  and  even  ridiculous,  as  it  may  seem,  this 
promise  was  at  various  times  renewed,  and  frequently  in 
the  presence  of  mutual  friends,  who  are  still  living.  This 
agreement  was  made  as  a  sort  of  harmless  joke,  neither 
Mr.  Parsons  nor  myself  having,  up  to  this  time,  investi- 
gated the  philosophy  of  Modern  Spiritualism  in  any  form. 

■'During  my  visit  to  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  while  manag- 
ing the 'Ole  Bull  Concert  Combination,' I  had  occasion 
to  employ  a  number  of  persons,  one  of  whom,  having  been 
proved  glaringly  dishonest.  I  was  obliged  to  discharge. 

"This  individual,  not  being  satisfied  with  my  leniency 


400  THE   MISSING   LINK 

in  letting  him  off  without  legal  punishment,  vowed  ven- 
geance upon  me,  saying  to  several  persons  that  I  should 
'  never  leave  California  alive.''  '  As  '  barking  dogs  seldom 
Lite,'  I  paid  little  attention  to  his  threats.  One  evening, 
after  the  conclusion  of  our  concert,  1  was  accompanied  to 
my  hotel  by  J.  Ileneage  Carter,  Esq.,  an  old-time  friend, 
and  the  originator  of  the  once  famous  '  Carter  Zouave 
Troupe.'  After  depositing  the  receipts  of  the  evening  with 
Mr.  liidgeway,  clerk  of  the  '  Lick  House,1  where  our  com- 
pany were  stopping,  I  retired  to  my  room  with  my  friend 
Carter.  A  brief  chat  ensued,  no  allusion  whatever  being 
made  as  to  the  threats  of  the  discharged  employee.  Mr. 
Carter  bade  me  a  cheerful  good-night  and  took  his  de- 
parture. I  had  no  special  anxiety  upon  my  mind,  had 
eaten  no  hearty  supper,  taken  no  beverage  in  the  shape  of 
wine  or  liquor  of  any  description  ;  in  fact,  I  have  scrupu- 
lously avoided  dissipation  in  any  form  up  to  the  present 
moment  of  my  life ;  consequently  there  was  nothing  in 
my  stomach  calculated  to  induce  nightmare  or  unpleasant 
dreams. 

"  Upon  retiring  I  immediately  fell  into  a  tranquil  sleep, 
from  which  I  was  unceremoniously  awakened,  without  the 
slightest  warning,  by  being  suddenly  and  vigorously 
grasped,  apparently  by  a  strong  hand,  by  the  hair  of  my 
head  and  jerked  with  tremendous  force  from  my  bed, 
landing  sprawling  upon  the  floor.  Immediately  gaining 
my  feet,  I  prepared  to  face  a  demon  in  the  flesh  of  some 
sort,  and  groped  about  the  room  to  find  a  friendly  chair 
with  which  to  defend  myself,  if  need  be.  Ko  further 
demonstration  being  made,  however,  I  proceeded  to  strike 
a  light,  nor  for  a  moment  did  I  lose  my  self-control,  al- 
though constantly  expecting  to  be  attacked  by  some  unseen 
foe.  Upon  carefully  examining  my  room  there  was  not 
the  slightest  sign  of  any  being,  human  or  otherwise,  with 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  401 

the  exception  of  myself.  Everything  was  still  and  as 
usual.  I  looked  at  my  watch  and  found  the  time  to  be 
5.40  a.m.  My  scalp  smarted  intensely,  as  it  naturally 
would  after  such  harsh  treatment,  and  had  I  been  near  an 
Indian  camp  I  could  readily  have  believed  that  I  had  lost 
that  important  apppendage,  and  without  any  great  stretch 
of  the  imagination  either. 

"  As  there  is  no  effect  without  a  cause,  and  vice  versa, 
I  soon  seated  myself  and  endeavored  to  solve  the  meaning 
of  the  remarkable  phenomenon  just  experienced.  In  a 
moment  a  terrible  thought  flashed  upon  my  mind.  Per- 
haps some  member  of  my  family  or  near  relative  had  died 
suddenly.  Hastily  making  my  toilet  I  proceeded  to  the 
nearest  telegraph  station  and  impatiently  awaited  the 
arrival  of  the  operator.  My  despatch  was  directed  to  my 
sister  in  New  1  ork,  with  whom  my  family  were  stopping 
at  the  time,  and  simply  read,  ' How  are  you  all  ?  Ansvk  /■.' 
The  reply,  '  All  well,'  caused  me  to  breathe  more  freely, 
but  the  mystery  was  yet  unexplained.  I  told  the  story  to 
my  friend  Ole  Bull,  who  became  intensely  interested, 
and  often  during  our  stay  in  California  expressed  a  great 
deal  of  solicitude  in  the  matter. 

"I  would  here  state  en  passant,  that  the  agreement 
made  by  my  wife's  father  and  myself  did  not  recur  to  my 
mind.  To  be  sure,  Mr.  Parsons  had  been  dead  more  than 
live  years,  yet  it  seems  to  me  quite  remarkable  that  our 
old  compact  had  not  at  once  presented  itself ;  but  I  felt 
convinced  that  this  singular  demonstration  meant  some- 
thing. Upon  my  return  to  New  York  I  visited  you  in 
company  with  Ole  Bull,  and  you  kindly  gave  us  a  private 
sitting.  The  alphabet  being  called  for,  the  following  was 
rapped  out :  '  John,th\  man  wham  you  discharged  in  San 
Francisco,  was  on  the  veranda  oftlu  /<<>/■  /.  <in<l  </>  fermined 
■ate  his  terrible  threat.     J  thought  it  a  good  time  to 


402  THE   MISSING   LINK 

redd  m  my  promise,  and  pulled  you  out  of  bed  by  your 
hair.  I  was  obliged  to  do  this  roughly  in  order  to  thor- 
oughly awaken  you. — Samuel  PaIssons.' 

"  With  great  respect  I  am 

"  Your  sincere  friend, 

"  J.  Jay  Watson. 
"Beverly,  Essex  County,  Mass." 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  403 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 

SOME  OBSEKVATIOXS  ON  MEDIUMSHIP. 

Mysteries  of  Medtcmship — To  Prove  the  Immortality  op  the 
Soul — Passivity  and  Harmony  at  Seances — Honest  and 
Candid  Scepticism — Imaginary  and  Self-indlxed  Medioi- 
siiip —  Deceptive  Communications  —  Cautions  —  Rappings — 
Spirits  made  Visible — Beware  of  Fraudulent  Mediums — 
Not  All  Spirits  Reliable — Cabinets. 

MEDirMsiiiP  is  a  great  mystery.  Some  persons  are  found 
to  possess  the  gift  (often  from  ancestral  derivation,  as  in 
the  case  of  the  "  second-sight "  in  the  Scotch  Highlands), 
while  others  are  totally  devoid  of  it.  There  are  also  many 
varieties  both  in  the  forms  and  phases  of  it,  and  in  the  de- 
grees in  which  different  persons  possess  the  strange — I  may 
say,  abnormal — gift.  There  seem  to  be  also  great  variations 
of  degree  in  which  it  is  possessed  by  different  persons,  con- 
stituting differences  of  mediumistic  power. 

I  am  satisfied  that  there  are  few  families  in  which  some 
one  or  other  of  its  members  does  not  possess  it,  at  least  in 
latent  condition,  more  or  less  developed  or  undeveloped ; 
and  that,  if  they  will  sit  patiently  and  passively  (without 
anxiety  or  eagerness)  round  a  table,  without  being  discour- 
aged and  exhausted  of  patience  by  weeks  or  even  months 
of  failure,  the  manifestations  will  generally  at  last  come, 
whether  in  the  form  of  rappings,  or  that  of  tilting  of  the 
table,  or  in  other  phenomena  inexplicable  on  the  ground 
of  the  ordinary  laws  of  physical  nature,  and  compelling 
the  recognition  of  the  presence  of  extra-natural  beings  or 
forces — i.e.,  "  Spirits  " — as  the  only  explanation  of  the 
manifest  and  incontestable  facts. 


404  THE  MISSING  LINK 

Again,  apart  from  the  various  degrees  of  the  faculty  in 
the  mediums,  there  is  mystery  hanging  over  the  question 
of  the  various  degrees  of  ability  of  Spirits  who  may  be 
present — high,  low,  or  of  intermediate  grade  and  character 
— to  act  through  or  with  a  particular  medium.  And  still 
again,  there  is  mystery  over  the  influence  of  the  members 
of  the  circle  present,  both  upon  the  sensitive  medium  and 
upon  the  Spirits  present.  And  upon  the  fundamental 
point  of  what  constitutes  mediumship,  on  what  qualities, 
physical,  mental  or  spiritual,  it  depends,  hangs  the  greatest 
mystery  of  all. 

One  thing  seems  certain,  namely,  that  at  least  in  the 
present  age  or  "  dispensation,"  the  Spirits  about  us  seem 
desirous  of  communicating  with  us,  human  Spirits  still  in 
the  flesh,  and  glad  of  the  opportunities  afforded  them 
through  the  mediums  for  doing  so.  "  Psychics,"  or  "  sen- 
sitives," have  been  suggested  as  more  suitable  designations 
than  "  mediums,"  but  that  of  "  medium  "  seems  to  have 
got  too  strongly  rooted  in  popular  usage  to  be  now  easily 
changed. 

It  is  certain  that  history  shows  what  may  be  called 
mediumship  to  have  existed  in  all  ages,  climes,  and  civil- 
izations, in  various  degrees,  and  that  in  all  races,  bar- 
barian or  civilized,  there  has  been  more  or  less  of 
manifestation,  to  man  still  in  the  flesh,  of  the  continued 
existence  of  disincarnated  man,  or  Spirits.  The  extraor- 
dinary outpouring  of  the  evidence  of  this  great  truth  which 
our  times  have  witnessed,  and  which,  beginning  in  our 
country,  has  so  rapidly  made  the  circuit  of  the  globe,  seems, 
as  has  been  declared  by  many  of  the  higher  classes  of 
Spirits,  to  have  grown  out  of  the  fact,  that  the  science  and 
philosophy  of  the  century  had  become  so  deeply  imbued 
with  materialism,  fast  sapping  the  foundations  of  all  re- 
ligion, that  it  had  become  necessary,  in  the  counsels  of  the 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  405 

high  Spirits  who  are  the  ministers  of  the  will  of  the  In- 
finite Supreme  we  name  God,  to  overponr  the  world 
with  a  new  flood  of  irresistible  demonstration  of  the  truth 
and  reality  of  the  next  life  and  of  the  immortality  of  the 

soul. 

If  there  is  one  mental  condition,  on  the  part  of  mediums 
and  sitters,  more  constantly  insisted  upon  by  good  Spirits 
as  necessary  toward  the  attaining  of  good  results  in  the 
manifestations,  it  is  that  of  "jpasswiiy"  If  a  sitter  earnest- 
ly desires  a  particular  thing,  has  his  heart  and  thought  and 
will  strongly  set  upon  it,  that  is  precisely  what  he  is  least 
likely  to  obtain,  or  to  obtain  it  clearly  and  satisfactorily,  if 
he  obtain  it  at  all.  The  expression  is  sometimes  used  that 
both  medium  and  sitter  must  keep  themselves  in  a  negative, 
as  distinguished  from  &  positive,  condition.  If  they  are 
"positive" — especially  if  persons  of  strong  will — their  mag- 
netic or  Spiritual  u  positiveness  "  seems  to  work  adversely 
instead  of  harmoniously  with  that  of  the  invisibles. 

The  testimony  from  the  Spirits  is  pretty  unanimous  that 
tranquil  mental  harmony  in  the  circle  is  very  necessary 
toward  the  attainment  of  good  results.  Discussion  of  sub- 
jects of  difference,  in  however  friendly  a  temper  it  may 
be  conducted,  is  unfavorable.  This  is  generally  accepted 
as  the  reason  why  instrumental  or  vocal  music  is  so  com- 
monly resorted  to,  as  tending  to  lead  the  minds  of  all  into 
the  same  channel.  There  may  also  be  something  in  its 
action  to  attune  the  air-vibrations  into  accord  instead  of 
opposition,  resulting  from  the  differences  of  voice  among  a 
number  of  persons  thus  gathered  together. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  faith  in  Spiritualism   on 

the  part  of  all  present  is  a  necessary  condition  of  success 

nee-.     It  is  true  that  it  Bometimes  seems  that  the 

presence  of  particular   individuals   is  fatal   to  anj',  or  any 


406  THE   MISSING   LINK 


but  the  feeblest,  manifestations.  In  such  cases  it  is  not 
their  ignorance  and  disbelief,  nor  a  rational  scepticism,  that 
militate  against  success.  On  the  contrary,  Spirits  like  the 
visits  of  honest,  candid  sceptics  or  inquirers,  who  are  not 
inaccessible  to  evidence,  nor  so  resolutely  and  bitterly  hos- 
tile, and  so  acrid  in  temper,  that  they  neither  can  be  con- 
vinced though  one  "  rose  from  the  dead,"  nor  are  worthy 
of  the  attempt.  They  seem  to  resent  the  insulting  pres- 
ence and  the  unworthy  mental  condition  and  attitude  of 
such  persons,  and  ill-disposed  to  cast  such  pearls  before 
such  swine.  Also,  when  sitters  come  with  lies  and  fraud 
in  their  hearts,  and  trickery  in  their  purposes,  the}'  bring 
wrth  or  attract  to  them  lying  and  fraudulent  Spirits  who 
like  to  give  them  just  what  they  come  to  seek.  It  is  per- 
haps even  more  true  in  the  Spirit  life  than  in  this,  that 
like  attracts  like,  and  that  birds  of  a  feather  flock  together. 

There  are  many  imaginary  mediums.  They  will  tell 
you  they  see,  hear,  and  speak  to  you  under  the  influence  of 
Spirits,  when  it  is  nothing  but  an  emanation  from  their 
own  brain,  and  perhaps  from  the  forces  of  the  circle  com- 
bined. This  I  believe  to  be  a  self-induced  condition,  de- 
veloped by  the  powerful  influence  of  the  human  will  acting 
upon  their  own  physical  force. 

Beware  how  you  become  ensnared  in  the  meshes  of  such 
mediums.  They  are  only  fit  subjects  for  the  lunatic  asy- 
lums. 

There  are,  I  believe,  some  unexplored  regions  in  the 
human  brain  which  may  be  hereafter  explained  and  better 
understood. 

I  will  give  you  an  example  of  this  phase  of  medium- 
ship. 

A  friend  of  mine,  an  excellent  man  but  very  ambitious 
to  excel  in  doing  good,  and  at  the  same  time  to  take  a  high 
position  in  Spiritualism,  was  told  by  Spirits  that  he  would 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  407 

be  a  medium.  He  was  very  sanguine  and  believed  that 
lie  could  revolutionize  the  world,  if  he  should  become 
one. 

He  was  a  clergyman  and  an  honest  man.  One  morning 
(after  having  waited  a  long  time  for  the  fulfilment  of  the 
promise  that  he  would  be  a  medium),  he  came  to  me  with 
a  roll  of  paper  in  his  hand,  his  face  beaming  with  joy, 
Baying  as  he  entered  the  room,  "  At  last  the  prophecy  has 
been  fulfilled  !  See,  listen,"  and  he  read  a  beautiful  poem 
signed  "Felicia  Hemans." 

lie  afterward  wrote  many  interesting  things,  and  I  have 
no  doubt  there  were  or  had  been  times  when  he  was  under 
the  influence  of  good  Spirits ;  but  as  soon  as  he  became 
ambitious  to  set  himself  up  as  "  high  priest,"  that  innate 
something  which  belongs  to  the  natural  man  performed 
the  office  of  his  own  mind. 

That  development  is  often  very  disastrous  and  unreliable, 
and  should  not  be  encouraged.  I  will  give  you  an  illus- 
tration in  the  following  communication. 

One  Sunday  afternoon,  while  sitting  in  his  library,  his 
hand  was  influenced  to  write  a  communication,  of  which 
the  following  is  a  copy  : 

"I  departed  this  earth-life  a  few  hours  ago,  in 

Street,  No.  .     You  will  find  my  children   mourning 

over  my  lifeless  form.  Go  to  them  at  once  and  assist 
them  to  bury  my  body.  (Signed)  Mary." 

He  read  the  communication  to  his  wife,  who  remon- 
strated, saying  that  she  doubted  it ;  but  after  considering 
the  matter  they  both  started  to  find  the  distressed  family. 
It  was  not  very  far  from  them;  but  judge  of  their  aston- 
ishment when  they  found  no  such  place  as  had  been  men- 
tioned. The  street  was  there,  but  no  house,  and  no  num- 
ber like  the  place  designated.  The  communication,  in  its 
essentials,  was  an  entire  fabrication.     In  the  evening  they 


408  THE   MISSING    LINK 

both  called  on  me,  and  desired,  if  possible,  that  Spirits 
would  explain  through  the  rappings  why  he  should  have 
been  so  deceived.  The  rapping  said,  "  My  dear  friend, 
this  is  an  experience  which  yon  will  not  forget.  You 
have  been  led  bv  ambition,  mistaking  it  for  a  higher 
motive.  You  have  besought  Spirits  to  direct  you,  when 
you  should  have  acted  according  to  your  own  best  judg- 
ment. Thus  you  have  attracted  a  class  of  Spirits  who  are 
unreliable.1''  This  was  something  which  many  were  neces- 
sitated to  learn  in  the  school  of  experience,  especially  in 
those  early  days  of  Spiritualism. 

I  do  not  approve  of  sitting  in  promiscuous  circles  for 
development.  I  remember  several  years  ago  there  was  a 
circle  held  in  ~New  York  for  the  purpose  of  making  me- 
diums. Our  friend,  Mr.  George  Willets,  visited  the  rooms 
of  the  "  developers  "  several  times,  and  reported  to  us  the 
unfavorable  effect  it  produced  upon  him.  JMy  sister  Katie 
on  one  occasion  went  with  him.  When  she  returned  she 
felt  badly  and  complained  of  strange  sensations,  caused 
(she  believed)  by  sitting  in  that  circle.  It  affected  her  un- 
favorably for  some  days.  She  was  sad,  and  complained  of 
seeing  disagreeable  things  whenever  her  eyes  closed.  This 
gradually  changed,  but  she  could  never  be  persuaded  to 
visit  such  circles  again. 

In  the  case  of  the  Dr.  Phelps's  manifestations  I  think 
there  was  abundant  evidence  to  prove  that  a  natural  de- 
velopment took  place  there.  And  I  am  sure  that  we 
fought  against  it  long  enough  and  hard  enough  to  prove 
that  we  were  not  knowingly  instrumental  in  bringing 
about  anything  of  our  own  mediumship.  We  were  all 
annoyed  at  the  idea  of  being  called  mediums. 

Another  well-known  case — were  I  to  mention  the  name 
it  would  be  clearly  remembered — was  that  of  a  wealthy  gen- 
tleman doing  a  large  business  in  this  city.     He  came  to 


IN-   MODERN-   SPIRITUALISM.  409 


see  me  at  No.  1  Ludlow  Place,  rejoicing  in  his  newly  de- 
veloped mediumship.  lie  was  a  large,  finely  organized 
man,  and  came  to  explain  to  me  how  wonderfully  he  was 
affected,  lie  told  me  that  his  wife  was  not  pleased  be- 
cause he  sat  in  circles  for  development,  and  she  thought 
he  was  losing  his  mind.  This  gentleman  lived  in  Brook- 
lyn, and  if  this  should  come  under  his  eye  he  will  recol- 
lect the  circumstance.  He  was  not  a  disciple  of  the 
"  Rochester  knockings,"  but  a  professed  admirer  of  speak- 
ing, writing,  and  impressible  mediums.  He  thought  it 
would  be  very  tine  to  become  a  great  public  speaker  (as 
he  had  been  told  he  would  be),  and  astonish  the  world  ; 
and  therefore  he  believed  it.  He  soon  began  to  whirl 
around  and  pound  himself  and  snort  like  an  animal.  I 
thought  he  was  a  raving  madman  ;  but  when  he  spoke  he 
seemed  rational  enough  at  times,  but  his  lucid  moments 
were  few  and  far  between. 

At  length  the  Spirit  rapped  out  the  following :  "  My 
son,  sit  down  at  the  table."  He  did  so,  apparently  de- 
lighted. Again  the  alphabet  was  called  for,  and  this  was 
spelled :  "  Enclose  the  extremities  of  your  fingers  within 
your  hands,  cross  your  feet  and  rest  your  heels  on  the  floor, 
and  permit  me  to  give  you  advice,  namely  :  When  you  sit 
in  the  circle,  exerting  every  faculty  of  mind  and  body, 
with  your  hands  on  the  table  and  your  feet  on  the  floor, 
all  your  brain  forces  escape  through  your  extremities  and 
are  absorbed  by  the  more  receptive  members  of  the  circle.'' 

He  followed  the  directions  of  his  guardian  Spirit,  and 
became  quiet,  and  was  so  deeply  interested  in  the  rappings 
that  he  engaged  a  private  hour  and  brought  his  wife  the 
next  day,  who  became  equally  interested  and  honestly  con- 
fessed to  me  that  she  had  blamed  and  condemned  me  as 
an  impostor;  and  although  her  husband  had  not  met  in 
my  circles,  she  charged  me  with  being  the  original  cause 


410  THE   MISSING   LINK 

of  her  husband's  "misfortune" — as  she  considered  it. 
From  that  time  he  was  cured. 

I  think  he  was  on  the  high  road  to  the  lunatic  asylum ; 
and,  although  some  writers  term  the  Spirit-rapping  a 
manifestation  of  "  lower  grade,"  in  my  own  opinion  com- 
munications come  more  direct  from  Spirits  through  the 
rappings,  or  when  accompanied  by  them,  than  when  written 
or  spoken,  etc.,  in  magnetic  circles  where  the  mediums  are 
quite  as  susceptible  to  an  action  exerted  upon  them  by 
Spirits  embodied  as  by  the  disembodied. 

I  have  found  it  so  in  my  own  experience,  and  I  never 
place  entire  confidence  in  anything  unless  the  Spirits  sanc- 
tion it  to  me  by  sounds  in  connection  with  the  alphabet, 
which  was  their  first  chosen  method  with  us.  Nor  do  I 
rely  on  the  rappings  unless  what  is  said  through  them 
bears  in  itself  the  evidence  of  truth.  I  regret  to  see  per- 
sons too  much  carried  away  by  this  or  any  ism.  Give  me 
a  good  amanuensis,  one  who  can  take  down  each  letter  as 
it  is  indicated  (and  not  interrupt  me  by  asking  very  often, 
"  What  does  it  say  ?  "  which  breaks  the  telegraphic  connec- 
tion, for  the  time,  through  which  Spirits  operate,  exactly 
as  the  telegraphic  wires  are  affected  by  a  thunder-storm) 
— give  me,  I  say,  such  an  amanuensis,  and  I  can  sit,  as  I 
have  often  sat,  for  hours  at  a  time,  receiving  the  letters 
through  the  raps  and  alphabet,  with  no  idea  of  their  con- 
nection or  meaning,  nor  any  such  knowledge  possible  to 
any  listener,  and  at  the  close  eveiw  letter,  word,  and  sen- 
tence will  be  found  perfectly  correct,  and  the  whole  intelli- 
gible only  when  the  whole  is  read  in  connected  sequence. 

It  is  impossible  for  any  mortal  to  sit  and  reiterate  the 
letters  of  the  alphabet  as  fast  as  they  can  be  repeated,  hour 
after  hour,  and  retain  in  the  mind  the  structure  of  the 
sentences  and  chapters  communicated.  1  defy  any  one  to 
do  it.     Even  Theodore  Parker  pronounced  it  a  quietus  on 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  411 

the  Buffalo  doctors.  Try  it  yourselves,  dear  readers. 
Under  the  right  conditions,  I  can  sit  and  call  the  letters 
for  hours  together,  and  when  the  message  is  finished  it 
will  be  found  to  be  perfect  and  unbroken  from  beginning 
to  end — in  accordance  with  the  intelligence  of  the  Spirit, 
not  that  of  the  medium. 

I  have  seen  Spirits  walk  around  the  room,  furnishing 
their  own  light  sufficiently  bright  to  show  themselves  dis- 
tinctly to  all  persons  present,  when  every  precaution  had 
been  taken  to  lock  and  seal  the  doors  and  windows,  to  pre- 
vent ingress  or  egress  of  any  person  to  disturb  the  circle ; 
and  I  know  hundreds,  still  living,  who  can  testify  to  this 
statement. 

Now,  then,  why  should  there  be  any  need  of  so  conduct- 
ing circles  for  manifestations  as  to  cause  suspicion,  or  leave 
the  minds  of  investigators  in  doubt  ?  Should  a  medium  be 
allowed  to  enter  a  cabinet  without  any  precautions  on  the 
part  of  the  sitters  to  require  "  test  conditions,"  and  delib- 
erately clothe  him  or  herself  in  the  habiliments  of  angels, 
and  then  softly  glide  forth  into  a  dimly  lighted  room, 
scarcely  visible  to  the  eye,  and  call  it  a  "  materialization  " 
or  a  "transfiguration  "  ?.  Shame  on  such  cruel  deception. 
I  am  astonished  that  people  are  willing  to  be  so  imposed 
upon.  When  I  was  before  the  public,  I  expected  and 
wished  to  give  every  satisfaction  in  my  power.  I  believe 
all  persons  who  wish  to  know  the  truth,  and  are  willing  to 
pay  mediums  for  their  time  and  trouble,  should  demand 
their  rights,  search  the  cabinets,  and  hold  the  mediums  by 
joining  hands  until  they  are  fully  satisfied  of  the  truthful- 
ness of  the  manifestations:  We  have  never  objected  to 
being  held,  and  we  have  even  submitted  to  being  stetho- 
scoped and  gagged  to  settle  the  question  of  ventriloquism, 
after  every  other  test  had  been  applied. 

1  do  not  wish  to  be  understood  as  condemning  all  cabi- 


412  THE   MISSING   LINK 

net  stances.  We,  for  our  part,  never  used  cabinets  nor 
had  occasion  to  do  so.  I  know,  through  the  best  of  testi- 
mony, that  with  honest  mediums  and  select  confidential 
circles,  marvellous  phenomena  have  taken  place  through 
that  means  since  my  day.  But  I  do  disapprove  of  such 
seances  before  promiscuous  parties,  when  not  accompanied 
with  precautions  against  the  possibility  of  deception  ;  for 
when  "  test  conditions  "  are  not  required  by  the  sitters,  or 
insisted  upon  by  the  mediums  as  their#only  protection 
against  malevolent  suspicions,  they  open  the  door  to  fraud- 
ulent mediums  for  the  practice  of  abominable  deceptions. 

Nor  will  I  dismiss  the  subject  without  cautioning  all 
against  the  error  of  always  relying  implicitly  upon  the 
communications  of  those  whom  they  regard  as  Spirits  far 
better,  higher,  and  more  enlightened  than  themselves  or 
their  friends.  Still  less  should  they,  necessarily,  obey  their 
directions  or  counsels,  especially  in  regard  to  their  business 
or  social  concerns. 

Many  investigators  find  it  hard  to  divest  themselves  of 
a  sort  of  superstitious  reverence  for  the  Spirits  in  conver- 
sation with  them.  It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  them  to  know 
everything,  and  a  greater  one  to  imagine  them  capable  of 
doing  everything.  It  is  sometimes  an  error  even  to  believe 
them  to  be  the  Spirits  they  profess  to  be.  Spirits  are  of 
many  varieties  of  condition,  character,  and  degrees  of 
progress.  There  are  those  prone  to  amuse  themselves 
with  a  sort  of  practical  joking  and  false  personation  ;  and 
such  Spirits,  being  in  a  low  plane,  are  apt  to  be  glad  of 
any  opportunity  to  push  themselves  forward  into  the  door 
opened  by  the  presence  of  the  medium,  and  play  their 
fantastic  tricks  on  the  too  credulous.  We  must  judge  for 
ourselves  of  the  reasonableness,  the  probability,  and  the 
characteristic  resemblance  of  what  Spirits  may  say,  to  that 
which  we  might  have  expected  from   them.     We  must 


IN    MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  413 


strive,  by  our  daily  lives  and  conversation,  to  attract  to 
ourselves  only  Spirits  of  the  better  and  higher  orders  in 
that  world  of  the  next  life,  which  is  far  more  densely  pop- 
ulous than  the  one  in  which  we  ourselves  still  ''live  and 
move  and  have  our  being." 

At  the  same  time  I  think  that  the  cause  of  Spiritualism 
would  be  at  this  day  further  advanced  in  general  accept- 
ance, if  cabinets,  and  with  them  the  phenomena  called 
materialization  and  transfiguration,  had  never  been  intro- 
duced. For,  however  genuine,  as  well  as  impressive,  may 
be  the  manifestations  of  the  presence  and  action  of  the 
Spirits  which  may  have  occurred  in  the  employment  of 
them,  they  afford  opportunities  for  deception  which  dishon- 
est mediums  are  but  too  ready  to  avail  themselves  of,  and 
then  when  exposure  comes  (and  it  is  generally  Spiritualists 
who  are  the  most  earnest  in  detecting  and  punishing  the 
infamy  of  such  deception),  they  are  at  once  trumpeted  all 
over  the  land,  and  more  harm  is  done  to  the  progress  of  the 
cause  than  all  the  good  ever  resulting  from  the  genuine  phe- 
nomena themselves.  Xo  such  exposures  ever  occurred  in 
all  our  long  and  varied  experience,  though  never  have  me- 
diums been  subjected  to  more  jealous  and  severe  investi- 
gations ;  and  there  are  few  of  the  more  modern  phenomena 
which  have  not  occurred  through  our  mediumehip,  though 
the  usual  mode  of  communication  practised  at  our  circles 
was  the  one  which  1  still  consider  the  best  and  most  direct, 
as  it  is  the  simplest — that  of  rapping  to  the  alphabet. 

I  will  only  add,  before  dismissing  the  subject,  that 
though  it  is  so  many  years  since  I  have  ceased  to  practise 
the  public  exercise  of  ray  medinmship,  I  am  not  conscious 
that  it  has  at  all  weakened  or  changed.  On  rare  occasions 
I  have  given  private  sittings  to  confidential  friends,  and 
few  days  pass  which  do  not  bring  me  conscious  evidence  of 
the  presence  of  Spirit  friends.    It  was  under  their  prompt- 


414  THE   MISSING   LINK 

ing,  and  indeed  direction,  that  I  have  written  this  book, 
and  often  during  its  progress  have  they  given  me  their 
counsel  at  moments  of  doubt  on  my  part  as  to  what  to  insert 
or  to  omit.  Happy,  in  so  many  ways,  as  has  been  my  do- 
mestic life,  I  should  be  ungrateful  if  I  did  not  realize  how 
largely  the  unseen  friends  and  visitors  of  my  home  have 
contributed  to  that  happiness. 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  415 


CHAPTER  XXX. 
MISCELLANEOUS  INCIDENTS. 

Felicia  Hemans— Spirit  Dictations  op  Music. 

In  compliance  with  the  advice  and  wishes  of  the  friend 
who  lias  aided  me  in  putting  together  the  scattered  parts 
of  my  volume,  I  now  proceed  to  wind  it  up  with  what  I 
might  call  a  sample  assortment  of  "  Incidents  "  out  of  my 
Spiritualistic  experience.  This  was  not  within  my  orig- 
inal scheme  of  the  work,  but  in  the  course  of  several 
months  of  intimate  intercourse  with  him,  there  naturally 
arose  in  conversation  frequent  allusions  to  such  reminis- 
cences, leading  me  to  tell  him,  under  his  intelligent  interro- 
gation, the  story  of  them.  The  result  was  that  he  came 
to  insist  that  some  collection  of  them  would  constitute  a 
useful  as  well  as  interesting  addition  to  my  "Missing 
Link."  He  therefore  embraced  many  opportunities  of  re- 
turning to  them,  and  drawing  from  me  repetitions  of  the 
narratives,  and  jotting  down  notes,  from  which  he  then  in- 
sisted that  I  should  write  them  out,  with  a  little  kind  assist- 
ance from  him.  This  collection  might  easily  have  been 
greatly  enlarged. 

FELICIA    HEMANS — SPIRIT   DICTATION    OF   MUSIC. 

The  following  is  a  beautiful  and  curious  experience 
which  came  one  evening  at  Rochester,  in  the  early  days 
of  our  mediumship : 

^Maggie  and  I  were  sitting  alone  in  my  cozy  little  parlor 
in  Troup  Street,  enjoying  ourselves  by  a  warm  fire  while 
the  pouring  rain  and  howling  winds  outside  assured  us 


416  THE   MISSING   LINK 

that  we  should  not  be  interrupted  by  callers.  I  was  read- 
ing- "  Memoirs  of  the  Wesley  Family,"  when  the  alphabet 

was  called  for  by  the  usual  signal.  I  repeated  the  letters 
as  they  came  through  the  alphabet,  and  wrote  them  as 
designated  successively  by  the  Spirit,  viz.: 

"GAG<  ."HAGAGEFEFAGFEFGFEDAGGCEDGGCB 
AGCCDBC." 

These  letters  could  not,  of  course,  be  construed  into 
words,  and  I  cast  them  aside  saying,  "  This  must  be  the 
Spirit  of  Johnny  Story,"  a  simple  boy  whom  we  had  known 
when  living,  who  could  never  be  taught  to  read.  The  al- 
phabet was  again  called  for  and  the  message  given  by  the 
Spirit  was,  "  Apply  the  letters  to  your  piano." 

On  doing  so  I  recognized  in  them,  to  my  surprise  and 
delight,  a  sweet  and  tender  melody.  I  was  then  told  to 
set  the  music  to  "  Haunted  Ground "  in  Mrs.  Hemans's 
Poems,  but  with  the  variation  of  changing  "  Haunted  "  to 
"  Hallowed  "  in  the  last  verse. 

Professor  J.  J.  Watson  has  kindly  arranged  the  accom- 
paniment for  the  organ  and  piano,  as  on  the  next  page. 

I  have  always  considered  this  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
and  interesting  tests  I  have  ever  received.  It  certainly 
was  not  mind-reading.  The  letters  as  given  had  of  course 
conveyed  no  sense  to  me,  nor  any  idea  of  musical  notes. 
In  connection  with  the  music  thus  given  for  the  poem  with 
its  altered  name,  I  presume  that  it  is  proper  to  reproduce 
the  poem  itself. 

HAUNTED   GROUND. 

And  slight,  withal,  may  be  the  things  which  bring 
Back  on  the  heart  the  weight  which  it  would  fling 
Aside  forever — it  may  be  a  sound, 
A  tone  of  music,  summer  eve,  or  spring, 
A  flower — the  wind — the  ocean — which  shall  wound 
Striking  the  electric  chain,  wherewith  we  are  darkly  bound. 

— Byron. 


IN    MODERN"    SPIRITUALISM. 


417 


P 


THE  HAUNTED   GROUXD. 

Arr.  by  J.  J  at  Watsox. 


Moderate. 


1.  Yes,  it  is  haunted,  this 

2.  Have  I  not,  unde r  these 


:  i    I  i — Lz+K*±mzz=m 


m 


Retardando 


m 


i 


r*=Si 


qoi  -  et     scene.     Fair     as      it     looks,  and    all       soft  -  ly     green ; 
whisp'ring  leave-,    Wo  -  von  such  dreams  as    the     young  heart  weaves  ? 


r 


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418 


THE   MISSING   LINK 


THE  HAUNTED   GEOUND. 

Arr.  by  J.  Jay  Watson. 


qui  -  et     scene,        Fair     aa       it    looks,  and     all     soft  -  ly     green ; 
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Shadows  yet  un  -  to  which  life  seem'd  bound,  And  is   it    not — is    it       not 


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Retardando. 


— »-*»-H— i-i — n      'r — f — 1?=— i- 

9-  4  8  1 4  4 


IN   MODEKN   SPIRITUALISM.  419 

HAUNTED  GROUND.— MRS.  HEMANS. 

\  \  rse  3. 

Have  I  not  lived  'midst  these  lonely  dells, 
And  loved,  and  sorrowed,  and  heard  farewells, 
And  learn'd  in  my  own  deep  soul  to  look, 
And  tremble  before  that  mysterious  book  ? 

Have  I  not,  under  these  whispering  leaves, 
Woven  such  dreams  as  the  young  heart  weaves  ? 
Shadows — yet  unto  which  life  seemed  bound, 
And  is  it  not — is  it  not  haunted  ground  ? 

Must  I  not  hear  what  thou  nearest  not, 
Troubling  the  air  of  this  sunny  spot  ? 
Is  there  not  something  to  none  but  me 
Told  by  the  rustling  of  every  tree  ? 

Song  hath  been  here — with  its  flow  of  thought, 
Love — with  its  passionate  visions  fraught ; 
Death — breathing  stillness  and  sadness  round — 
And  is  it  not— is  it  not  haunted  ground  ? 

Are  there  no  phantoms,  but  such  as  come 

By  night  from  the  darkness  that  wraps  the  tomb  ? — 

A  sound,  a  scent,  or  a  whispering  breeze 

Can  summon  up  mightier  far  than  these  ! 

But  I  may  not  linger  amidst  them  here  ! 
Lovely  they  are,  and  yet  things  to  fear  ; 
Passing  and  leaving  a  weight  behind, 
And  a  thrill  on  the  chords  of  the  stricken  mind. 

Away,  away,  that  ray  soul  may  soar, 

As  a  free  bird  of  blue  skies  once  more, 

Here  from  its  wing  it  may  never  cast 

The  chain  by  those  Spirits  brought  back  from  the  past. 

Doubt  it  not— smile  not — but  go  thou,  too, 
Look  on  the  scenes  where  thy  childhood  grew — 
Where  tli' hi  hast  prayed  at  thy  mother's  knee, 
Where  thou  hast  roved  with  thy  brethren  free; 


420  THE   MISSING    LINK 


Go  thou,   when  life  unto  thee  is  changed, 
Friends  thou  hast  loved  as  thy  soul,  estranged ; 
When  from  the  idols  thy  heart  hath  made, 
Thou  hast  seen  the  colors  of  glory  fade  ; 

Oh !  painfully  then,  by  the  wind's  low  sigh, 

By  the  voice  of  the  stream,  by  the  flower-cup's  dye, 

By  a  thousand  tokens  of  sight  and  sound, 

Thou  wilt  feel  thou  art  treading  on  hallowed  ground. 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  421 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

MISCELLANEOUS  INCIDENTS  {Continued). 

Crowd  of  Spirits  made  Visible  by  Lightning — Scarcely  Cred- 
ible but  True — A  Game  of  Euchre — Margaret's  Dream — 
Mistaken  Names  Corrected  by  Spirits — An  Unwilling  Con- 
vert made  Grateful  and  Happy. 

CROWD    OF    SPIRITS    MADE    VISIBLE    BY    LIGHTNING. 

One  Sunday  evening,  in  Ludlow  Place,  occurred  the  grand- 
est manifestations  of  Spirit  presence  1  ever  witnessed 
or  heard  of.  Our  good  friend  Dr.  A.  D.  Wilson  and  his 
friend  Dr.  Kir  by  had  come  in  the  Doctor's  carriage  ;  and, 
as  a  great  thunder-storm  was  gathering  fast  overhead,  he 
ordered  the  carriage  home,  to  return  at  nine  o'clock,  or 
when  the  storm  should  be  over.  We  sat  round  the  table 
in  my  private  room  on  the  second  floor,  four  of  us — the 
two  gentlemen,  mother,  and  myself.  Soon  the  vivid  light- 
nine  flashed  and  the  near  thunder  roiled  and  rattled  over- 
head  :  while  in  the  intervals  the  blackest  of  darkness  was 
around  us,  the  Spirits  having  directed  us  not  to  have  lights. 
The  "  raps"  bade  us  to  sing:  and,  my  mother  leading,  we 
sang  the  Methodist  hymn  :  "  Pm  a  pilgrim  ;  I'm  a  stranger," 
etc.  (my  father  and  mother  were  Methodists).  But  as 
the  peals  and  flashes  came  so  mightily  I  was  afraid,  and 
thought  it  unseemly  for  us  to  sing  in  the  presence  of  these 
grand  manifestations  of  the  lights  and  the  voices  of  the 
heavens.  Presently  Dr.  Wilson  started  up  with  the  ex- 
clamation, "Oh  my  God!  there's  ray  mother,"  and  we 
all  saw  a  form  in  the  doorway  leading  from  our  room  to 


422  THE  MISSING   LINK 

another  in  the  rear.  And  then,  to  his  friend  Dr.  Kirby, 
"  And  there's  jour  mother  with  her  arms  around  your 
neck  !  "  And  then  again  to  my  mother,  "  Oh,  Mrs.  Fox, 
there's  your  noble  father  by  you  !  "  And  we  all  saw  the 
Spirits. 

The  whole  room  was  crowded  with  a  glorious  company 
of  Spirits ! 

.  We  would  see  them  only  by  the  flashes  of  the  lightning. 
"When  the  flash  had  vanished,  all  was  blackness ;  but,  on 
its  return,  there  they  were  still,  different  forms  and  with 
varying  features ;  and  they  looked  as  natural  as  when  in 
this — our  life.  What  were  our  feelings  ?  How  could  I 
express,  or  who  will  need  that  I  should  attempt  to  do  so  ? 
We  all  responded  deeply  to  Dr.  Wilson's  exclamation,  "  I 
would  not  have  missed  this  for  all  the  world!  Oh,  who 
after  such  a  sight  could  ever  again  commit  a  sin  ?  " 

It  would  seem  that  while  we  had  no  Spiritual  sight  to 
see  them  clairvoyantly  in  the  darkness,  they  could  bear  the 
electric  brightness  of  the  lightning  which  revealed  them  to 
our  eyes. 

A  deep  awe  rested  on  us  all,  and  we  all  united  in  the 
following  beautiful  old  Methodist  hymn  which  my  mother 
sang.  Many  a  time  afterward  we  have  sat  in  the  hope  of 
a  repetition  of  this  glorious  spectacle  ;  and  Dr.  Wilson 
would  come  when  there  seemed  some  prospect  of  thunder 
and  lightning.  But  it  never  came  again.  Perhaps  there 
was  something  in  the  quiet  solemnity  of  that  Sabbath  hour 
which  prompted  it  to  the  Spirits  ;  and  once  shown,  it  was 
enough  :  for  memory  could  not  but  keep  it  ever  fresh  in 
our  minds,  as  it  is  and  will  forever  remain  in  mine. 

What's  this  that  steals,  that  stea's  upon  my  frame, 

Is  it  death,  is  it  death  ? 
That  soon  will  quench,  will  quench  this  vital  frame, 

Is  it  death,  is  it  death  ? 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISE  .  423 

If  this  is  death,  I  soon  shall  be 
From  every  pain  and  sorrow  free, 
I  shall  the  King  oi'  Glory  see, 
All  is  well,  all  is  well ! 

Weep  not,  my  friends,  my  friends,  weep  not  for  me, 

All  is  well,  all  is  well, 
My  sins  are  pardoned,  pardoned,  I  am  free, 
All  is  well,  all  is  well. 
There's  not  a  cloud  that  does  arise, 
To  hide  my  Saviour  from  my  eyes, 
I  soon  shall  mount  the  upper  skies, 
All  is  well,  all  is  well. 

Tune,  tune  your  harps,  your  harps,  ye  saints  in  glory, 

All  is  well,  all  is  well. 
I  will  rehearse,  rehearse  the  pleasing  story, 
All  is  well,  all  is  well ! 
Bright  angels  are  from  glory  come. 
They're  round  my  bed,  they're  in  my  room, 
They  wait  to  waft  my  Spirit  home, 
All  is  well,  all  is  well ! 

SCARCELY    CREDIBLE,  BUT   TRUE. 

A  strange  adventure  befell  me,  at  the  age  of  between 
eight  and  nine  years,  which  has  always  left  a  vivid  impres- 
sion on  my  mind ;  and  J  cannot  resist  the  prompting  to 
insert  here  a  short  summary  of  it.  I  will  leave  my  readers 
to  judge  of  it  for  themselves. 

I  had  obtained  grandmother's  permission  to  visit  some 
little  girls  at  the  house  of  their  father,  Mr.  Cox ;  which 
was  granted  on  condition  that  I  should  be  sure  to  come 
home  before  nightfall. 

It  was  about  a  mile  and  a  half  distant  from  home  by  the 
main  road,  though  less  than  a  mile  through  the  woods. 
Much  of  that  part  of  the  country  was  at  that  time  unculti- 
vated and  abounded  with  wild  beasts  of  every  description 
of  the  period. 


424  THE   MISSING   LINK 

I  got  safely  to  Mr.  C.'s;  and  had  a  daj-  so  happy  that  it 
was  only  the  threatening  clouds  of  an  approaching  storm 
which  warned  me  that  it  was  high  time  to  start  for  homo. 
I  set  out  by  the  roadway,  but  Mrs.  Cox  called  me  back 
and  sent  two  of  her  daughters  to  escort  me  through  the 
woods  by  the  shorter  paths,  familiar  to  them  on  their  way 
to  school.  We  had  gone  about  half  the  distance  through 
the  woods,  when  sharp  lightning  and  heavy  thunder  an- 
nounced that  the  storm  was  close  at  hand  ;  and  the  chil- 
dren left  me  at  a  point  from  which,  as  they  supposed,  I 
could  not  miss  my  further  way.  They  gave  me  directions 
how  to  proceed.  I  followed  them,  as  I  supposed  ;  but  the 
darkness  soon  became  intense,  and  the  storm  burst  in  all 
its  fury.  The  thunder  and  lightning  were  terrific,  the 
rain  fell  in  torrents,  and  I  was  a  very  little  girl  alone  in 
the  woods.  I  heard  the  distant  cries  of  the  inhabitants  of 
the  wilderness,  and  hurriedly  pressed  forward  in  the  hope 
of  following  the  right  track,  but  constantly  changing  my 
idea  of  which  direction  to  take.  After  long  wanderings 
in  this  way,  I  fancied  it  to  be  about  midnight,  when  the 
howling  of  the  winds  rose  to  be  nearly  that  of  a  tornado, 
arid  the  crashing  of  falling  trees,  torn  up  by  the  roots, 
seemed  to  surround  me  in  all  directions. 

I  had  been  twent}'  times  on  my  knees,  in  childish  prayer 
to  God  to  take  me  home ;  but  perhaps  God  in  heaven  is 
too  abstract  an  idea  to  be  realized  by  a  child  of  that  age, 
and  I  would  instinctively  find  myself  addressing  my  great- 
grandfather, who  was  the  only  person  whose  death  I  had 
ever  witnessed.  I  had  known  him  to  be  good  and  kind. 
He  was  a  man  of  unusual  stature  and  strength.  Him  I 
could  understand  to  be  in  heaven,  and  powerful  to  save 
me.  I  remember  I  prayed  with  my  eyes  closed,  fearing  I 
should  behold  some  terrible  phantom,  for  in  our  family  ex- 
perience and  tradition  there  had  been  many  strange  stories. 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  425 

I  wandered  all  through  that  terrible  night,  and  only 
rested  on  my  knees,  when  praying  to  God  and  the  angels 
(especially  him,  my  grandfather)  to  protect  me.  Storm- 
beaten  and  drenched  as  I  then  was  I  sat  down  and  cried 
bitterly.  Suddenly  my  attention  was  arrested  by  an  un- 
usual sound,  as  of  boughs  breaking  and  twigs  crackling. 
I  looked  in  the  direction  of  the  sound  and  saw,  standing 
high  upon  the  trunk  of  a  fallen  tree,  a  large,  good-natured 
looking  dog,  which  I  supposed  to  be  Mr.  Cox's  dog, 
••  Rover.''  Immediately  fear  left  me.  I  felt  him  to  be 
id  safety.  I  called  to  him,  "  Rover,  Rover  !  "  and 
tried  to  get  near  him,  but  he  turned  from  me  leading  the 
way.  I  followed  ;  he  looking  back  frequently,  as  if  to  see 
whether  or  not  I  followed  him.  After  wandering  some 
time  through  zig-zag  routes,  he  brought  me  to  Deacon 
Demarest's  place,  which  I  recognized,  as  the  house  had 
recently  been  burned  and  I  could  not  mistake  it.  At  this 
point  he  loitered  a  moment,  and  came  so  near  me  that  I 
reached  out  my  hand  to  caress  him,  but  could  or  did  not 
touch  him,  although  he  pressed  against  me  palpably  several 
times. 

,He  "waggled  himself "  so  like  a  dog,  and  seemed  so 
kind  to  me  that  I  became  fondly  attached  to  him.  On  I 
went,  following  him  through  cross-lots  and  over  fences, 
startling  the  cattle  to  their  feet,  and  causing  a  great  jing- 
ling of  cowbells,  never  looking  back,  but  intently  following 
the  dog,  fearing  to  lose  sight  of  him  for  a  moment,  lest  he 
should  leave  me.  At  last  we  came  to  my  home.  The 
house  stood  about  a  hundred  feet  from  the  road.  There 
were  two  gates  of  entrance  to  the  door-yard  or  grounds  : 
one  a  foot-gate,  the  other  for  carriages,  etc  I  opened  the 
small  gate  and  held  it  open.  Bupposing  the  dog  would  | 
through  it;  but  judge  of  my  amazement  to  sec  him  instead 
of  doing  so,  scale  the  great  gate  with  a  bound  and  meet 


426  THE   MISSING   LINK 


me  face  to  face  on  the  other  side,  but  no  longer  a  dog-! 
(Perhaps,  at  that  instant,  it  was  a  fleeting  vision  of  a  dog, 
but  it  is  certain  he  disappeared  and  was  no  more  seen), 
while  the  noble  form  of  my  great-grandfather,  with  his 
loving  smile,  for  a  moment  stood  before  me  at  the  gate, 
by  the  early  morning  light.  I  gave  a  scream  which  brought 
my  grandfather  from  the  house  to  the  door,  exclaiming, 
"  Great  God  !  the  child  has  been  out  in  the  woods  all 
night." 

I  was  put  to  bed,  from  which  I  did  not  rise  for  a  week. 
At  times  it  was  feared  that  I  never  should  rise  from  it, 
such  was  the  effect  of  the  exposure,  fatigue,  and  fright  of 
that  terrible  night.  Mr.  Redfield  (mentioned  on  page  8,  etc.) 
had  spent  the  evening  and  night  at  our  house,  and  was 
told  how  I  had  disobeyed  my  orders  to  return  home  before 
dark,  and  that  I  was  evidently  detained  at  Mr.  Cox's.  He 
sa'id,  before  starting  in  the  morning,  that  he  would  stop  at 
Mr.  Cox's  on  his  way  to  mill,  and  see  about  me.  On  his 
informing  Mr.  Cox  that  I  had  not  returned  home,  the 
latter  hastened  to  our  house  in  great  fright  lest  evil  had 
befallen  me  from  the  animals  or  other  adventure  of  the 
woods.  He  found  me  of  course  safe  and  asleep  in  my 
grandmother's  bed.  He  was  a  devout  Methodist,  and 
knelt  by  ray  bedside  and  pra}7ed  over  me  with  thanks  to 
God  that  I  had  been  preserved  through  the  terrors  of  that 
night  of  storm  in  those  wild  woods,  and,  as  I  was  told 
afterward,  sobs  of  all  the  female  members  of  the  family 
accompanied  his  prayer. 

There  are  many  persons  of  the  neighborhood  still  living 
whose  recollection  can  verify  this  story,  and  with  whom  it 
it  is  talked  over  when  we  meet,  such  as  Evander  Smith, 
John  Onderdonk  (a  cousin  of  mine),  Philip  Demarest, 
Albert  Collins,  etc. 


IN    MODERN    SPIRITUALISM.  427 


A   GAME   OF   ECCHRE. 

Dr.  A.  D.Wilson,  one  of  the  most  prominent  physicians 
of  New  York,  was  one  of  my  dearest  and  best  of  friends. 
He  had  once — before  my  marriage — had  the  experience  of 
playing  a  game  of  euchre  (through  me  as  medium)  with 
an  old  Spirit  friend  of  his,  who,  when  in  the  flesh  had 
been  his  frequent  companion  at  the  game.  I  do  not  recall 
the  particulars  of  that  former  game  sufficiently  to  relate  it 
with  accuracy ;  but  one  day  Dr.  AVilson  was  telling  the 
story  to  Mr.  Underbill,  who  thereupon  asked  the  Spirits  if 
they  would  play  a  game  with  him,  which  he  was  promised 
should  be  done.  This  promise  was  made  some  three  years 
before  its  fulfilment  came  about,  during  which  time  Mr. 
Underbill  had  frequently  reminded  the  Spirits  of  their 
unfulfilled  promise.  It  was  an  interesting  experience,  and 
I  felt  desirous  of  again  witnessing  it.  One  evening  at 
about  eight  o'clock  Lit  was  in  about  1862),  our  nephew  C. 
O.  Smith  (a  lad  who  figures  as  Charlie  in  the  sketch  of 
our  Ohio  campaign)  was  seated  at  one  end  of  the  table 
studying  his  lessons  under  bright  gaslight.  My  husband 
and  myself  were  the  only  other  persons  in  the  room — 
which  was  the  library,  front  room  of  the  second  story. 
Mr.  Underbill  was  reclining  on  the  lounge,  and  I  was 
Beated  near  the  middle  window.  By  a  simultaneous  im- 
pulse (and  such  simultaneous  i nvpulses  were  a  frequent  ex- 
perience with  us)  my  husband  and  myself  started  up  and 
seated  ourselves  at  the  table.  I  will  continue  the  story  as 
I  have  it  written  by  Mr.  Underbill  himself. 

"  Leah  and  myself  sat  opposite  each  other,  Charlie  being 
1  at  the  end  of  the  table  between  us,  with  his  books. 
I  asked  the  Spirit  once  again  if  he  would  fulfil  the  prom- 
ise giveu  long  ago  to  play  a  game  of  cards,  as  was  occa- 
sionally done  between  Leah  and  myself.     *  I'll  try,'  was 


428  THE   MISSING   LINK 


answered.  I  asked,  '  Who  is  it  ?  Will  you  give  me  your 
name?'  The  .alphabet  being  then  called  for,  the  name 
was  given  me  privately,  not  by  rapping,  which  Leah  would 
of  course  have  heard,  but  by  touches  on  my  foot,  in  corre- 
spondence to  the  letters  of  the  alphabet.  It  was  *  Calvin,' 
which  I  kept  to  myself,  since  it  seemed  to  be  meant  to  be 
for  myself  alone  ;  but  as  Leah  was  inquisitive,  she  repeated 
the  request  for  the  name,  to  which  no  response  came.  On 
her  persevering  with  the  request,  it  was  rapped  out,  '  I 
can't  be  pumped.'  This  was  just  like  Calvin,  who,  when 
he  had  once  declined  to  answer  a  question  Mould  never  be 
forced  to  do  so.  The  cards  were  then  called  for  by  the 
Spirit,  and  I  was  directed  to  put  the  pack  under  the  table. 
Presently  it  was  rapped,  '  Cut  for  deal.'  I  stooped  down 
and  cut  the  pack  on  the  floor,  and  laid  my  cut  alongside 
of  the  pack.  The  Spirit  then  said,  '  Look,'  and  there 
under  the  table  lay  his  cut,  on  the  other  side  of  the  pack. 
It  was  better  than  mine,  and  gave  him  the  deal.  It  was  a 
right  bower.  We  then  distinctly  heard  a  shuffling  of  the 
cards  under  the  table,  and  the  Spirit  called  on  me  to  cut 
them.  I  said  to  him,  'But  you  have  the  advantage  over 
me,  as  you  have  all  the  cards  under  there  to  yourself.' 
He  replied,  '  Yes,  I  can  see  them  all,  but  I  will  play  fair.' 
He  then  told  me  to  put  my  hand  under  the  table,  and  my 
three  cards  were  placed  in  it.  I  was  again  directed  to 
look,  and  found  that  he  had  also  dealt  himself  three.  The 
other  two  due  to  each  player  were  then  dealt  in  the  same 
way.  On  being  directed  to  look  again  under  the  table  I 
saw  that  his  turn-up  card  was  a  jack.  As  the  trump  did 
not  suit  my  hand,  I  said,  '  I  pass.'  The  Spirit  took  it  and 
discarded.  I  then  led,  by  laying  my  card  on  the  table, 
The  Spirit  responded  to  mv  play  by  placing  his  card  into 
my  hand  which  I  held  under  the  table  to  receive  it.  In 
that  hand  he  made  a  march.     We  thus  played  out  that 


IX    MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  4'29 

game  in  four  djsals,  which  he  won,  making  five  points  to 
my  two.  I  did  not  doubt  his  having  played  fair.  I  then 
told  Leah  who  my  antagonist  had  been,  and  she  said, 
'  How  like  Calvin  that  was  to  answer  my  pertinacious  in- 
terrogation by  saying  that  he  would  not  be  pumped.' n 

margaretta's  dream. 

One  morning,  when  my  sister  Margaretta  came  down  to 
breakfast,  she  was  looking  pale,  and  tears  were  in  her  eyes. 
She  related  a  dream  which  had  greatly  affected  her. 

"  I  was,"  she  said,  "  sitting  in  the  north  room  at  home 
(in  fathers  house).  The  door  was  open.  Suddenly  the 
sun  seemed  to  be  eclipsed  :  while  the  atmosphere  was  filled 
with  particles  of  dust,  which  at  times  were  wafted  in  clouds 
which  nearly  obscured  my  vision.  (The  road  is  visible 
from  the  door  for  the  distance  of  half  a  mile.)  I  ob- 
served a  form  slowly  approaching  amid  the  shower  of  dust 
and  debris  ;  and  as  it  came  nearer  I  recognized  in  it  my . 
sister  Maria,  dressed  in  deep  black,  and  ran  to  meet  her. 
She  raised  her  hands,  saying,  '  O  Maggie !  isn't  this 
dreadful I '  As  we  met,  a  leaf  (as  from  a  book)  dropped 
at  our  feet.  I  picked  up  the  leaf  and  read  from  it  these 
words : 

"  Leaves  have  their  time  to  fall, 

And  tlowers  to  wither  at  the  north-wind's  breath, 
And  stars  to  set — but  all, 

Thou  bast  all  seasons  for  thine  own,  O  Death  !  " 

"We  were  all  deeply  impressed,  and  felt  it  to  be  a  warn- 
ing of  some  sad  event  in  the  near  future. 

It  was  early,  we  had  not  yet  breakfasted,  and  were  sit- 
ting together  feeling  very  dejected,  when  my  brother  (who 
lived  thirty  miles  east  of  Rochester)  walked  into  our  room, 
and  finding  us  all  in  tears,  threw  his  arms  gently  around 
mother's  neck  and  asked  her  what  was  the  matter. 


430  THE   MISSING   LINK 

We  told  him  Margaretta's  dream,  well  knowing  that  he 
must  have  sad  tidings  to  relate  to  ns,  as  he  had  ridden  all 
night  to  get  there  at  that  hour  of  the  morning.  lie  wept, 
and  sobbing  aloud  said:  "I  am  the  messenger  of  sorrow- 
ful  tidings.  Dear  little  Sanford  Smith  is  dead."  This 
was  sister  Maria's  little  son,  seven  years  of  age.  David 
then  told  us  how  the  darling  child  had  passed  away.  He 
died  of  croup.  They  did  not  consider  him  dangerously  ill 
at  first,  but  hastened  for  the  doctor.  When  his  mother 
stood  over  him.  trying  to  make  him  more  comfortable, 
tears  dropped  from  her  eyes  upon  his  precious  face.  He 
ptilled  her  down  and  kissed  her,  and  with  his  little  hand- 
kerchief wiped  her  tears  away,  saying,  "  Ma,  don't  cry  so. 
I  will  be  your  guardian  spirit,  and  rap  just  so  " — making 
the  sounds  with  his  darling  fingers  on  the  head-board.  He 
was  a  beautiful  and  interesting  child  :  and  it  nearly  broke 
their  hearts  to  lay  him  away  from  their  earthly  sight, 
though  conscious  of  his  spiritual  presence. 

While  Margaretta  was  dreaming  that  truly  wonderful 
dream,  my  brother  David  was  on  his  way  to  inform  us  of 
the  child's  death. 


MISTAKEN   NAMES   CORRECTED   BY    SPIRITS. 

Dr.  A.  D.  Wilson  and  Dr.  Kirby,  both  men  of  high 
distinction,  introduced  to  me  by  Dr.  John  F.  Gray,  and 
who  afterward  became  thorough  Spiritualists  and  my  dear 
friends,  made  a  bad  start  in  their  first  experiences  at 
my  circles.  They  both  went  -away  somewhat  disgusted 
with  the  wrong  names  which  the  Spirits  of  their  relatives 
had  attributed  to  themselves.  Dr.  Wilson's  father  having 
given  his  name  as  "  Patrick  ; "  and  Dr.  Kirby's  wife  hav- 
ing called  herself  "  Mary  Anne."  They  compared  notes 
as  they  went  out  together.    Dr.  Wilson  said  that  his  father 


IX   MODERN  SPIRITUALISM.  4ol 

was  not  Patrick,  but  Peter;  and  Dr.  Kirby  that  his  wife's 
name  was  Nancy. 

Soon  after  Dr.  Wilson  came  across  his  father's  old  di- 
ploma, lie  had  graduated  at  Edinburgh  before  coining  to 
Xeu-  York,  where  he  became  a  professor  in  (I  believe) 
Columbia  College,  and  there  was  his  name  recorded  at  full 
length  as  "  Patrick."  He  was  not  an  Irishman,  but  a 
Scotchman,  and  did  not  fancy  being  called  "  Pat,''  and 
used  to  sign  with  his  initial  ;  and  somehow  or  other  Peter 
got  so  fastened  upon  him  that  his  own  son  never  knew  his 
real  name  to  have  been  Patrick  till  he  found  it  on  this  old 
diploma.  Dr.  Kirby  complained  to  his  mother-in-law  that 
his  wife  Nancy  had  given  her  name  as  "  Mary  Anne." 
"  Why,  did  you  never  know  that  Nancy  was  christened 
Mary  Anne '.  "  was  her  reply.  The  two  doctors  again 
compared  notes  together  to  better  purpose  than  before ; 
and  we  all  had  a  hearty  laugh  when  they  came  together 
to  tell  us  this  curious  and  excellent  test  they  had  both  hap- 
pened to  receive.  They  were  both  distinguished  homoeo- 
pathic physicians,  as  was  also  their  intimate  friend,  Dr. 
Gray,  by  whom  they  had  been  introduced. 

AX    UNWILLING    CONVERT   MADE   HAPPY    AND   GRATEFUL. 

One  evening  (in  Ludlow  Place)  so  severe  a  storm  was 
raging,  and  it  was  so  bitterly  cold,  that  I  had  no  fear  of 
any  visitors  coining  in,  and  had  settled  myself  for  comfort 
in  the  basement  room,  and  allowed  the  fire  in  the  parlor 
to  go  out.  But  the  bell  rang,  and  Susie  announced  a  party 
of  four  or  five  gentlemen.  They  had  been  brought  by  one 
of  my  good  friends  from  the  St.  Nicholas  Hotel.  They 
were  all  Southerners;  and  one  of  them,  an  old  gentleman, 
luul  been  seduced  out  to  go  with  the  party  to  "some  place 
of  entertainment,"  without  knowing  what  or  where,  i  Ik- 
was  bitterly  prejudiced  against  Spiritualism  and  us.  )    When 


432  THE   MISSING   LINK 

lie  got  in  and  learned  into  what  he  had  been  entrapped,  he 
was  very  angry,  and  refused  to  pay  his  dollar  or  to  go  any- 
farther.  Susie  reported  that  he  was  up  in  the  hall,  and 
their  hack  had  been  dismissed.  I  sent  word  to  invite  him 
down  to  the  warm  room,  unless  he  chose  to  remain  out  in  the 
cold,  for  which  I  should  be  sorry.  He  finally  came  down, 
but  sat  apart  in  a  corner  of  the  room  as  distant  as  possible 
from  the  group  of  us  gathered  round  the  table  near  the 
fire.  He  was,  as  I  afterward  learned,  an  old  man  now  left 
alone  in  the  world  with  his  wealth  ;  a  large  family  having 
been  swept  away  from  him,  chiefly  by  yellow  fever.  He  re- 
plied somewhat  gruffly  to  my  invitation  to  him  to  draw  up  to 
the  fire,  and  my  friend  scratched  a  few  lines  to  me  telling 
me  to  take  no  notice  further  as  he  was  a  sceptic,  and  very 
angry  at  the  trick  they  had  played  upon  him.  Before  long 
came  some  raps,  saying,  "  Father,  do  come  to  the  table  and 
get  warm,'"  signed  with  the  names  of  his  wife  and  a  num- 
ber of  his  children  :  and  they  happened  to  be  rather  un- 
usual names,  of  which  I  remember  only  Tabitha,  Rebecca, 
and  Sarah.  As  one  after  another  he  heard  them  rapped 
out,  he  turned  in  his  seat  and  became  evidently  excited 
and  affected,  and  even  tears  began  to  stream  down  his 
aged  face.  He  came  to  the  table,  where  he  received  such 
satisfaction  that  his  long-lost  dead  were  really  there  and 
speaking  to  him,  that  when  the  party  broke  up  he  expressed 
great  gratitude ;  and  said  that  though  lie  had  refused  to 
pay  his  dollar,  he  insisted  on  my  acceptance  of  the  $20 
bill  which  he  laid  on  the  table. 

He  afterwards  wrote  me  a  beautiful  letter,  from  the  ex- 
treme South,  telling  me  that  he  had  been  a  materialist,  with 
no  belief  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul ;  but  that  now  all 
life  was  changed  for  him  ;  that  he  now  knew  that  his  wife 
and  children  still  lived  and  loved  and  were  near  to  him, 
and  that  he  would  soon  be  with  them  again.     And  he  gave 


IX    MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  433 

me  such  grateful  blessings  as  were  a  compensation  for  the 
hardships  and  suffering  I  had  sometimes  to  encounter  in  the 
course  of  my  career  of  mediumship.  The  friend  who  had 
dene  him  the  uuwelcome  service  of  thus  entrapping  him 
within  my  doors  is  still  living,  and  owns  a  large  orange  plan- 
tation in  Florida  ;  and  I  have  no  objection  to  refer  to  him 
any  reader  whose  prejudices  may  require  any  confirmation 
of  the  strict  accuracy  of  this  narrative  of  one  of  the  pleas- 
antest  reminiscences  of  my  life. 

A   SPIRIT   KNOWrS   BETTER   THAN   THE   POSTMASTER. 

One  morning  we  received  a  message,  by  rapping,  to  this 
effect : 

"  Your  Uncle  John  is  on  his  way,  and  will  be  here  to- 
morrow morning." 

He  was  then  on  a  visit  to  my  sister  at  Consecon,  Canada 
West.  We  dearly  loved  Uncle  John,  and  were  delighted 
at  this  announcement;  and  as  we  had  never  been  deceived 
by  anything  thus  volunteered  by  our  Spirit  friends,  we 
made  all  preparations  for  his  arrival,  and  told  several 
friends  that  he  was  coming.  Morning  came,  but  no  Uncle 
John.  We  went  to  the  boat-landing  from  across  the  lake 
( "  Han  ford's  landing,"  then  about  a  couple  of  miles  from 
Rochester,  though  the  city  has  now  pretty  well  grown 
down  to  it) ;  but  no  one  knew  anything  about  him.  AVe 
then  went  to  Amy  Post,  and  told  her  how  we  had  been 
deceived  and  disappointed  by  the  Spirits.  Mrs.  Post  was 
seriously  affected  by  the  false  prophecy,  or  announcement, 
and  could  not  be  reconciled  to  the  situation  without  some 
further  explanation  from  those  who  had  deceived  us.  All 
we  got  from  them  was  this:  "Go  to  the  post-office  and 
you  will  find  a  letter  which  will  explain."  On  doing  so 
we  were  told  that  there  was  none  in  our  box.  We  (Mrs. 
Post,  Miss  Coles,  Sister  Kate,  and   myself),  after  a  little 


434  THE  MISSING   LINK 

talk  over  it,  asked  the  Spirits  why  they  persisted  in  such 
falsehoods,  with  more  questions  which  I  cannot  distinctly 
remember.     We  received  the  reply  (by  rappings):  "Go 

back  and  say  you  have  just  been  told  there  was  a  letter 
there.  Tell  them  to  look  among  the  promiscuous  letters, 
and  it  will  be  found."  (Spirits  can  emphasize  by  the 
Btrength  of  their  raps  as  well  as  we  can  by  italics.)  Of 
course  we  did  accordingly,  and  the  clerk  returned  with  a 
large  letter,  asking  if  my  name  was  Leah  A.  Fish  ;  which, 
of  course,  it  was,  with  a  variation  in  the  order  of  Christian 
names,  and  probably  I  had  asked  for  the  name  of  A.  L. 
Fish,  perhaps  omitting  the  full  name  of  "Leah." 

The  clerk  had  made  a  plain  mistake.  The  Spirit  had 
been  right. 

The  letter  explained  everything.  Uncle  had  started 
from  Consecon,  but  had  been  overtaken  at  Coburg  by  a 
subpoena  to  attend  an  important  trial,  in  which  he  was  the 
principal  witness. 

Spirits  are  but  disembodied  men  and  women,  and  are 
not  much  more  omniscient  after  their  disembodiment  than 
they  had  been  before  it.  They  had  given  their  message 
truly  before  he  had  been  overtaken  at  Coburg  with  the 
subpoena.  They  had  followed  or  accompanied  Uncle  John, 
but  had  no  cognizance  of  outside  circumstances  which  had 
occurred  subsequently  to  their  announcement,  and  then 
quitted  him.  There  is  instruction  in  this,  as  well  as  a 
curious  interest. 

OPENING   OF   A    COMBINATION    LOCK. 

Professor  Mapes  had  a  friend  who  knew  that  he  was 
investigating  Spiritualism,  and  told  him  that  he  (the  friend) 
had  a  test  which  none  of  his  mediums  or  Spirits  could 
meet,  but  that  he  would  give  the  mediums  $600  if  they 
could  do  so ;  that  being  a  sum  he  had  unexpectedly  come 


IN   MODERN    SPIRITUALISM.  435 

into  and  would  gladly  give  if  it  could  be  done.  The  Pro- 
fessor brought  him  to  me,  and  he  pulled  out  his  $600  and 
produced  a  combination  padlock,  which  he  had  set  to  a 
certain  word,  and  he  offered  me  the  $600,  to  which  I  Mas 
welcome  if  I  could  open  it.  I  told  him  that  neither  the 
Spirits  nor  I  would  do  anything  for  money,  and  I  refused 
to  attempt  it  unless  he  put  back  his  money  into  his  pocket. 
This  he  had  to  do,  but  he  continued  to  sit  in  the  public 
circle,  for  which  he  paid  the  regular  admission  fee  of  one 
dollar.  Nothing  came  fur  him  till,  just  as  the  party  was 
breaking  up,  there  were  rapped  out  the  letters,  l-o-o-n, 
followed  with  the  sentence  "  Open  your  lock,"  which  no- 
body understood  till  some  person,  repeating  them  aloud, 
said,  "  That  spells  loon,"  which  Mapes's  friend  heard,  and, 
starting  up  excitedly  and  with  an  oath,  cried  out,  "  Why, 
that  is  my  word !  "  The  lock  was  at  once  opened  at  the 
word.  lie  again  threw  the  $600  to  me.  saying  that  I  was 
heartily  welcome  to  it.  But  he  at  last  was  compelled  to 
put  back  his  money.  As  he  bade  me  good-night  he  left  in 
my  hand  a  810  gold  piece,  which  I  could  not  refuse  to  ac- 
cept as  a  token  of  his  gratitude  and  his  feelings.  He  came 
frequently  afterwards  and  became  a  thorough  and  hearty 
Spiritualist.  Prof.  Mapes,  in  introducing  him,  said  lie 
was  a  whole-souled  man.  though  a  positive  and  rough  one, 
and  somewhat  addicted  to  oaths,  which  rather  displeased 
me. 

A   VISITOR   MAGNETIZED    INTO    A    MEDIUM    BTM6ELF. 

Judge  Haskell,  of  Leroy,  a  distinguished  man  and  a 
member  of  Congress,  was  one  of  my  old  Rochester  con- 
verts and  earnest  supporters.  He  nsed  t<>  say  that  we 
acted  on  him  like  magnets,  and  magnetized  him  uncon- 
sciously, so  that  after  an  evening  with  as  ho  found  bin. 
receiving  raps  himself,  an  influence  upon  him  which  would 


-i::r>  the  missing  link 


last  several  days,  sometimes  as  long  as  a  week,  and  that  he 
used  to  talk  freely  with  the  Spirits  in  his  own  bed,  receiv- 
ing the  raps  on  the  headboard.  He  evidently  had  in  him- 
self the  basic  conditions  for  the  mysterious  gift  of  medium- 
ship,  and  might  have  gone  far  if  he  had  chosen  to  cultivate 
and  develop  it.  Indeed,  he  often  found  himself,  in  his 
speeches,  departing  widely  from  what  he  had  intended  to 
say,  and  even  speaking  against  his  opinions,  under  an  in- 
fluence controlling  him  against  his  own  mind. 

CUEIOUS    SToKY    ABOUT    A    MUTILATED    LIMB. 

-  I  went  with  mother  to  visit  my  sister,  Mrs.  Osterhout, 
who  lived  in  Canada  West,  near  where  my  father  had 
formerly  resided.  A  bad  accident  occurred  to  a  young 
man  named  Charlie,  whose  leg  was  so  crushed  by  a  heavy 
log  rolling  upon  it  that  it  had  to  be  amputated  above  the 
knee.  As  we  sympathized  with  the  family,  mother  and  I 
went  over  on  the  first  night  after  the  amputation  to  watch 
with  him  and  help  take  care  of  him,  while  supporting  his 
mother  with  our  company.  The  limb  had  of  course  been 
buried.  During  the  night  he  moaned  and  cried  inces- 
santly, and  begged  us  to  turn  his  foot  over.  We  did  not 
understand  him  until  he  said,  "  Tell  Joe  (the  hired  man) 
to  turn  my  foot  over  ;  they  have  buried  it  with  the  toes 
downward."  We  went  and  told  Joe  about  it,  who  made  no 
account  of  it,  regarding  Charlie  as  not  in  his  right  mind  ; 
but  the  latter  continued  so  long  with  the  same  cries  which 
proved  such  severe  actual  suffering,  whatever  might  be 
the  illusion  possessing  his  mind  in  regard  to  his  buried 
limb,  that  we  were  compelled  to  satisfy  him  by  directing 
Joe  to  reopen  the  hole,  which  could  scarcely  be  called  a 
grave.  It  was  a  fact ;  the  leg  was  found  exactly  as  Charlie 
had  insisted  it  was,  with  the  toes  downward.  It  was  ac- 
cordingly turned  over  in  the   box  in  which  it  had  been 


IX  MODERN   SPIRFTUALI8M.  437 

buried,  so  aa  to  rest  in  its  natural  position  od  the  heel,  and 
poor  Charlie  immediately  dropped  to  sleep,  nor  did  lie 
make  any  further  complaint.  The  render  has  probably 
heard  or  read  of  analogous  6tories  about  pain  being  felt  in 
the  extremities  of  limbs  which  had  been  amputated  ;  con- 
tinuing in  some  cases  long  after  the  amputation.  The 
Apostle  says:  "There  is  a  natural  body  and  there  is  a 
spiritual  body." 

DISTURBANCES    IX    THE   TROUP    STREET    COTTAGE. 

One  Sunday  night,  at  Rochester,  in  that  pleasant  house 
on  Troup  Street,  there  was  one  of  those  tremendous  snow- 
storms which  no  longer  appear  to  fall  there  as  often  or  so 
deep  as  they  did  at  that  time.  Margaretta  and  I  were 
alone  in  the  house.  Alfie,  our  housekeeper,  had  gone  out 
for  the  day,  and  we  had  no  expectation  of  her  being  able 
to  return  through  such  a  snow-storm.  The  house  was  built 
on  ground  which  sloped  down  to  the  rear  from  the  front 
level  of  the  street.  AVe  were  sitting  in  the  dining-room, 
which  was  a  sort  of  n-ar  addition  to  the  cottage,  and  had 
a  veranda  from  which  a  door  opened  into  the  room,  while 
another  door  led  by  a  few  steps  to  the  cellar  in  which  was 
a  well — though  we  never  u.-ed  the  water  from  it,  as  I 
mistrusted  its  healthfulness  ;  indeed  I  had  a  strange  feel- 
ing about  that  well,  as  though  it  might  have  been  the 
scene  of  a  crime.  The  wind  coming  furiously  from  that 
direction  piled  up  the  snow-drift  all  the  height  of  the 
lower  sashes  of  the  windows,  and  of  course  blocked  access 
to  the  door  from  without.  There  were  often  so  much 
knocking  and  other  sound.-  about  that  cottage  that  I  be- 
lieved it,  like  the  others,  to  be  haunted. 

Margaretta  and  I  were  making  ourselves  comfortable. 
We  had  drawn  the  table  near  to  the  stove,  and  noon  it  was 
one  of  the  country  mince  pies,  such  as  New  York  does  not 


438  THE   MISSING   LINK 

know,  and  she  Lad  just  lifted  the  teapot  when  knocks  of 
the  most  fearful  character  thundered  directly  under  her 
feet.  The  blows  implied  a  heavy  mallet  and  a  powerful 
arm,  which  so  startled  her  as  to  cause  her  to  let  fall  the 
teapot.  Neither  of  us  could  stir  from  the  spot.  There 
was  no  cellar  under  this  rear  addition  to  the  cottage,  but 
the  door  from  the  cellar,  which  was  under  the  main  build- 
ing, opened  into  the  tea-room  very  near  to  where  I  sat. 
Tremendous  pounding  commenced  against  the  cellar-door, 
causing  it  to  fly  open  and  close  again  several  times  as  by 
the  same  hand.  Immediately  after  came  from  outside 
groans  as  from  some  one  apparently  perishing  in  the  storm, 
seeming  to  indicate  extreme  suffering  and  anguish. 

As  we  huddled  together  and  sat  paralyzed,  we  heard  the 
cheerful  voice  of  our  good  Quaker  friend,  Mr.  "Willets.and 
a  knocking  at  the  door  of  a  character  not  mysterious,  and 
as  soon  as  we  were  able  to  get  the  door  open,  Mr.  "Willets, 
a  gust  of  wind,  and  no  small  drift  of  snow,  entered  together. 
"  "Well,  girls,  I  got  anxious  about  you,  and,  as  Alfie  is  away, 
my  wife  and  I  thought  you  might  have  no  water  and  wood 
for  to-morrow  morning,  and  it  would  be  harder  to  get  at 
you  then;  for  this  snow  is  going  to  last  all  night."  He 
stayed  a  little  while,  when  he  found  we  were  sufficiently 
provided,  and  then  this  good  man  and  friend  made  his 
brave  way  out  again. 

Before  Mr.  "Willets  had  left,  Calvin  also  came  to  us  under 
the  same  alarm,  and  to  cheer  us  with  his  presence,  and  lie 
stayed  all  night.  And  although  there  was  no  more  moan- 
ing outside,  yet  the  same  heavy  pounding  on  the  floor 
continued  through  the  night.  Though  we  at  least  went  to 
our  bed,  the  agitation  and  excitement  prevented  our  having 
anything  more  than  a  disturbed  sleep  ;  and  whenever  we 
would  awake,  there  were  still  the  sounds,  which  lasted  till 
morning ;  and  the  neighbors  too  told  us  the  next  day  how 


IX    MODERN   BPIRITUALISM.  439 

they  had  also  heard  and  wondered  at  them.  I  have  for- 
gotten to  mention  that  Mr.  AYillets  and  Calvin  went  out 
into  the  storm  to  see  if  they  could  find  anybody  or  any 
signs  of  anybody  outside  the  house,  but  they  found  nothing 
but  the  undisturbed  levels  of  the  snow. 

Nor  was  this  the  only  occasion  of  such  violent  and  pro- 
tracted knockings  both  there  and  elsewhere.  At  my  house 
in  Ludlow  Place,  New  York,  we  sometimes  could  not  help  be- 
1  ieving  that  there  were  burglars  in  the  house,  and  utterly  reck- 
less in  their  noises.  AVe  sometimes  called  in  the  policeman 
to  search  the  house  as  some  of  our  friends  must  remember. 
For  the  sake  of  male  protection,  I  had  (their  friends  being 
ours  and  ours  theirs)  invited  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Oliver  Johnson 
to  occupy  rooms  in  my  third  story,  and  to  share  our  table 
(for  which  we  had  to  permit  them  to  contribute  the  small 
sum  estimated  to  cover  the  additional  cost  of  the  latter),  and 
several  times  had  Mr.  Johnson  come  down  during  the 
night  and  insisted  that  there  must  be  burglars  in  the 
house: — and  this,  notwithstanding  all  his  past  observa- 
tions. There  were  some  reasons  for  suspicions  of  crime 
having  been  committed  in  that  house  also.  Now  what 
sort  of  Spirits  were  they  who  thus  disturbed  our  nights  ? 
And  why  ?  Of  course  I,  many  a  time,  interrogated  them, 
but  never  got  any  satisfaction  from  their  answers.  They 
would  never  give  any  special  motive  or  reason  for  their 
thus  coming,  and  would  only  say  that  they  could  do  it  and 
that  they  would. 

They  never  did  any  mischief  beyond  the  fright  and 
causing  us  to  go  up  and  down  stairs  and  all  over  the  house : 
perhaps  they  were  not  allowed  to  do  so,  by  other  spirits, 
who  nevertheless  had  no  power  to  prevent  their  coming. 

Was  it  their  purpose  to  keep  us  np  to  the  task  that  had 
been  imposed  on  us,  and  in  a  state  of  submission  from  a 
sense  of  our  powerles&nc>-  against  them  '.     I  could  not  an- 


440  THE  MISSING   LINE 

Bwer  these  questions  then,  nor  can  I  now.  A  friend  has 
suggested  that  they  were  perhaps  miserable  and  earth- 
bound,  and  un progressed  spirits  whom  our  mediumship 
gave  access  to  us  and  certain  limited  means  of  action  on 
material  objects  in  our  atmosphere,  and  they  may  have 
found  a  diversion  from  the  poor  life  they  are  as  yet  living, 
and  some  amusement  in  frightening  us,  somewhat  as  chil- 
dren enjoy  the  mere  making  of  noise  and  startling  people, 
without  attaining  or  seeking  any  other  object.  There  are 
plenty  of  people  daily  passing  into  the  Spirit  condition, 
where  they  undergo  no  speedy  change,  of  whom  this  is 
very  supposable. 
-  .V  predecessor  (daughter  of  Mr.  Calhoun)  in  the  occupa- 
tion of  this  house,  some  years  before,  told  me  that  they 
had  heard  similar  noises,  and  Mr.  Calhoun  told  me  that  he 
and  friends  had  sat  up  in  the  night  with  pistols  to  catch 
the  burglars  presumed  to  cause  them. 

A  CAUTION  AGAINST  CRUELTY  TO  ORPHAN  CHILDREN. 

In  Canada  West,  not  far  from  the  residence  of  my  sister 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Osterhout,  there  lived  a  family  consisting 
of  a  husband,  wife,  and  three  children,  and  a  "hired" 
girl,  whom  Mr. favored.  Mrs. was  rapidly  de- 
clining ;  and  she  feared  that  her  husband  would  marry  the 
girl,  after  her  death.  Knowing  the  violent  temper  of  the 
girl,  she  besought  her  husband  not  to  marry  her,  and  thus, 
necessarily,  place  the  children  under  her  care.  He  prom- 
ised his  wife  he  would  not :  but  his  promise  was  soon 
broken,  and  to  his  sorrow  he  found,  when  too  late,  that 
his  wife's  fears  were  being  realized.  The  children  were 
neglected  and  cruelly  beaten  for  the  least  offences.  They 
were  sad,  and  were  often  seen  crying  and  hungry.  The 
neighbors  fed  the  little  ones  whenever  an  opportunity  of- 
fered :   and  the  children  told  strange  stories  about  their 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  441 

mother  coming  to  them  at  night.  They  said  she  came  and 
covered  them  with  blankets  which  their  step-mother  would 
not  allow  them  to  have  on  their  beds;  and  they  said  that 
when  she  found  the  blankets  on  their  beds  she  would  whip 
them  :  and  when  they  told  her  that  they  did  not  put  them 
on  the  bed.  she  would  accuse  them  of  falsehood.  But  she 
soo7i  had  reason  to  know  that  a  power  beyond  the  children 
was  at  work  there.  The  step-mother  had  taken  the  feather 
bed,  which,  their  own  mother  had  made  for  them,  and  tied 
and  hung  it  up,  because  she  said  they  would  soil  it. 

Soon  after  this,  quantities  of  feathers  were  lying  about 
the  sleeping-room,  which  could  not  be  accounted  for  ;  until, 
on  close  examination,  they  discovered  the  bed-tick  was 
burned  all  over  in  exactly  the  form  of  human  hands. 

This  could  not  be  charged  to  the  children ;  and  the  oc- 
currence was  talked  over  by  every  one  in  the  neighborhood. 

Still  the  children  were  shamefully  treated,  starved  and 
beaten  for  the  most  trifling  things.  There  was  another 
child  born  into  the  family,  and  the  elder  ones  were  made 
to  take  care  of  it,  and  were  abused  whenever  it  cried.     One 

day  Mr.  was  obliged  to  leave  home  to  be  gone  over 

night.  The  vouno-est  of  the  first  wife's  children  was  suf- 
fering  with  cholera  infantum,  and  cried  for  want  of  care. 
This  disturbed  her  ladyship.  She  left  her  bed  in  a  pas- 
sion, jerked  the  little  sufferer  out  of  its  bed,  setting  it  hard 
<>n  the  floor,  while  the  other  two  were  ordered  to  take  care 
of  the  sick  child  :  and  as  she  turned  to  leave  the  room  she 
was  met  face  to  face  by  their  Spirit  mother,  who,  with  open 
hand  and  extended  arm  gave  her  a  slap  on  the  forehead. 
She  turned  to  the  children  saying,  k>  Your  mother  has 
killed  me."  Her  forehead  instantly  turned  black  where 
the  Spirit  hands  and  fingers  had  touched  her.  and  the 
marks  corresponded  exactly  with  the  forms  burnt  in  the 
bedtick. 


442  THE   MISSING   LINK 


She  died  three  days  after  the  hand  had  slapped  her  ;  and 
the  discolored  brow  was  hidden  in  the  tomb. 

This  is  no  fancy  sketch,  as  some  may  be  disposed  to 
imagine.  It  is  verily  true  as  the  terrible  punishment  was 
deserved. 

MRS.    HOPPER'S    MYSTERIOUS    END. 

A  well-authenticated  and  most  mysterious  occurrence, 
and  one  which  has  always  left  in  the  minds  of  the  residents 
of  Rockland  County  a  strong  inclination  to  credit  a  belief 
in  witchcraft — I  confess  to  something  of  the  kind  myself 
—took  place  in  my  fathers  school-day  time.  I  have  listened 
to  his  recital  Math  staring  eyes,  ready  to  catch  the  slightest 
incident  connected  with  it. 

Mrs.  Hopper,  a  very  beautiful  woman,  was  possessed  of 
some  very  strange  power.  It  was  said  that  even  when 
quite  young  she  would  perform  strange  feats  with  chil- 
dren who  were  in  the  habit  of  associating  with  her  ;  and  it 
was  clearly  ascertained  that  she  had  been  seen  in  different 
places  at  one  time.*  I  cannot  say  anything  of  my  own 
knowledge  of  all  this,  but  there  is  no  doubt  of  the  facts 
which  I  am  about  to  relate. 

Mrs.  Plopper  had  not  appeared  in  her  usual  spirits  for 
several  days.  She  complained  of  not  feeling  well,  wished 
to  be  left  to  her  repose,  and  appeared  to  be  looking  forward 
to  something  they  could  not  comprehend.  One  of  her 
bridal  gifts  was  a  favorite  colored  boy,  a  lad  about  seven- 

*  The  mysterious  phenomenon  of  "  the  double  " — called  by  the  Ger- 
mans doppelganger,  and  the  subject  of  various  German  tales — while  one 
of  the  most  calculated  to  provoke  incredulity,  is  undoubtedly  an  occa- 
sional reality.  I  have  heard  more  than  one  person  whose  veracity  I 
cannot  doubt  relate  how  they  have  been  seen  at  the  same  time  in  places 
hundreds  of  miles  apart.  Any  one  may  inquire  of  Mr.  E.  H.  Britten  on 
this  subject.      Undoubtedly  such  persons  are  mediums. 


IX   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  443 

teen  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  her  departure.  (Slavery 
still  existed  in  New  York.)  She  was  an  only  child  and 
much  petted  by  her  parents  and  friends. 

Her  mother,  on  learning  she  was  ill,  went  to  spend  a  few 
days  with  her,  in  the  hope  of  cheering  her  spirits  and  bene- 
fiting her  health.  One  afternoon  she  seemed  more  than  usu- 
ally restless,  and  called  to  Jack  (the  colored  boy)  to  bring 
his  hat  and  coat  to  her  to  repair  them.  While  mending 
his  clothes,  she  said  to  Jack,  "  "Who  will  mend  your  clothes 
and  care  for  you  when  I'm  gone  ?  "  He  tried  to  console 
her,  and  said,  "  You  aint  a  goin'  to  die,  Missus,  you're  too 
young."  She  told  her  mother  she  needn't  stay  with  her 
as  she  was  quite  well  and  her  mother  was  needed  at  home. 
She  also  told  her  husband  she  would  rather  he  would  sleep 
in  another  room  and  leave  her  alone  that  night.  They  all 
complied  with  her  wishes.  The  next  morning  her  husband 
found  the  doors  ajar,  and  on  entering  the  room  discovered 
that  her  bed  had  not  been  slept  in,  and  on  closer  examina- 
tion discovered  her  comb  and  pins  on  the  stove  and  all 
her  wearing  apparel  torn  open  (in  front)  from  head  to  foot, 
and  lying  on  the  floor  just  as  they  had  been  stripped  from 
her  body.  They  searched  the  house  and  barn  but  could 
not  find  her.  They  explored  the  neighborhood,  but  no 
trace  of  her  nor  footprints  could  be  found.  The  neighbors 
turned  out  to  hunt  for  the  missing  woman.  School  was 
dismissed  and  the  children  joined  in  the  search. 

Near  the  place  where  she  lived  was  a  swamp.  (My 
cousin  took  Mr.  Underbill  and  myself  to  see  the  house. 
It  is  a  short  drive  from  his  home — "Mountain  View 
House.")  The  swamp  named  was  quite  extensive  at  that 
time. 

The  party  hunted  three  days;  taking  horns  along,  which 
they  sounded,  whenever  they  strayed  apart,  to  call  them 
together  again. 


414  THE   MISSING   LINK 

I  believe  it  was  my  father's  aunt  who  first  discovered 
the  body  of  the  missing  woman  (which  they  had  traced  by 
her  hair;  some  of  which  they  found  hanging  in  the  limbs 
of  the  trees).  Her  body  was  lying  on  a  dry  elevation,  in 
the  swamp,  in  a  state  of  entire  nudity ;  and  so  surrounded 
by  mud  and  mire  that  they  were  obliged  to  make  a  log-way 
to  enable  them  to  reach  and  remove  it.  My  aunt  removed 
her  apron  and  covered  the  body  with  it. 

Her  story  is  still  repeated  by  many  of  the  oldest  inhab- 
itants, and  to  day  remains  no  less  a  mystery. 

I  believe  she  had  covenanted  with  evil  Spirits,  and  the 
time  or  limit  of  her  agreement  was  ended.  "  Try  the 
Spirits.     By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them." 

ISever  yield  your  judgment  to  Spirits,  however  good 
they  may  be,  unless  you  are  sure  3'ou  are  doing  right. 
Obey  the  small  voice  within,  and  always  bear  in  mind  that 
the  highest  gift  from  God  is  your  own  good  sense.  So  say 
my  guardian  Spirits. 

"touch  samantha." 

A  very  amusing  incident  occurred  in  one  of  my  after- 
noon seances.  Mr.  Decker,  with  his  wife  and  sister-in-law 
(acquaintances  of  mine  from  ilochester),  visited  me  and 
took  seats  in  the  circle.  There  were  already  about  twenty 
around  the  table.  Mr.  Decker  was  a  believer  in  the  mani- 
festations himself,  but  his  wife's  sister,  Samantha  Picrpont, 
knew  very  little  about  the  subject,  and  was  afraid  to  sit  in 
the  circle.  „ 

He  urged  Samantha  to  come  to  the  table,  which  she  did 
after  much  persuasion.  When  it  came  Mr.  Decker's  turn 
to  ask  questions  he  called  on  the  Spirits  to  "  touch  Saman- 
tha," but  he  had  scarcely  uttered  the  words  when  he  dis- 
appeared from  the  circle  and  was  seen  coming  out,  feet 
foremost,  from   under   the  table  at   the  very  farthest   ex- 


I\    KODEBN   BPIBITUALISM.  446 

tremity,  causing  a  great  scattering  among  the  visitors. 
Mrs.  Ward  fainted,  and  two  other  ladies  had  to  be  taken 
out  of  the  room.  The  seance  Mas  broken  up  for  that 
afternoon. 

Mr.  Horace  Dresser  was  one  of  the  party,  and  Mrs. 
Ward  had  accompanied  him  to  my  house. 

This  seems  to  have  been  a  counter  practical  joke,  played 
upon  himself  by  some  humorous  Spirit  (of  whom  there  are 
many)  for  the  one  with  which  he  was  persecuting  poor 
Samantha. 

"I    FEEL     MY    ITAXnKERCITER    TIED     TIGHTER     EVERY     MIXIT."1 

When  I  first  moved  into  Ludlow  Place  I  met,  in  the 
street,  a  colored  woman  with  a  brush  and  pail  in  her  hand. 
She  was  very  pretty  and  jolly,  and  I  engaged  her  to  help 
clean  the  house.  I  set  her  at  work  in  the  china  closet,  and, 
before  she  had  been  ten  minutes  there  at  work,  she  turned 
t<>  me  and  said,  "What  yer  got  in  dis  yer  house?" 

I  replied,  "I  don't  know  what  you  mean.  Explain  your- 
self." 

She  muttered  awhile,  and  in  a  moment  more  she  said, 
"  Well,  mebby  yer  don't  know,  but  I  feels  my  hankercher 
tied  tighter  every  minit." 

"  NO    BBIMBTONE   YET." 

It  has  often  struck  me  that  there  was  something  more 
than  mere  chance  in  classes  of  persons  who  would  gather 
round  the  table  in  my  circles.  There  would  be  occasions 
when  none  but  persons  of  superior  intelligence  and  eleva- 
tion of  character  would  meet  there,  as  though  some  kin- 
dred influences  had  prompted  them  thus  simultaneously. 
When  a  few  persons  of  this  order  began  to  come,  I  have 
often  said  to  mother.  "  We  are  going  to  have  good  manifes- 


|  IT,  THE    MISSING    LINK 

tations  this  evening,  as  a  galaxy  of  fine  heads  and  noble 
faces  are  gathering  round  the  table."' 

Mr.  Greeley  has  more  than  once  remarked  upon  this  to 
me,  saving,  "  Leah,  I  never,  in  any  assembly,  meet  so  many 
noble  heads  and  the  same  order  of  intelligence  I  meet  at 
your  receptions." 

One  evening  there  was  such  an  assemblage  of  some 
twenty -five  or  thirty  persons,  of  whom  none  were  mis- 
placed in  such  good  company.  One  young  Quaker  lad,  of 
seventeen  or  eighteen,  had  accompanied  his  father.  He  was 
a  fine,  bright  and  gentlemanly  youth.  It  was  the  practice 
that  each  person  took  his  turn,  as  they  sat,  to  address  his 
questions  to  the  Spirits.  When  the  right  came  to  him  to 
ask  his  questions,  he  waived  it  in  favor  of  his  older  neigh- 
bor, who,  however,  declined  to  accept  it,  and  insisted  on  his 
using  his  privilege.  Accordingly,  he  wrote  his  question, 
screening  his  paper  with  a  book  as  lie  did  so.  His  first 
question  was,  "  Is  my  friend  John  here  ? "  Three  raps 
gave  the  answer  Yes.  He  then  asked  a  second  question 
to  which  came  the  reply:  "Not  quite  so  bad  as  that ;  I 
haven't  smelt  any  brimstone  yet."  This  elicited  a  general 
laugh,  and  he  was  pressed  to  show  his  question,  to  which 
he  objected,  until  he  was  overborne  by  his  father.  It 
proved  to  have  been,  "  John,  are  you  in  hell  ?  " 

KITCHEN    WORK   BY    NIGHT. 

"We  have  been  awakened  by  the  most  fearful  sights  and 
sounds  when  no  human  being  other  than  ourselves  was 
stirring  in  the  house.  On  several  occasions  I  could  not 
rest  until  I  called  a  policeman  in,  and  had  the  house 
searched  from  garret  to  cellar. 

The  manifestations  were  sometimes  calculated  to  excite 
our  sympathy,  at  other  times  they  have  lured  us  by  false 
representations.     I  will  give  an  instance. 


IX    MODERN  SPIRITUALISM.  447 

Mother  and  myself  were  in  the  sitting-room  on  the 
second  floor  alone,  quite  late  at  night  (not  far  from  mid- 
night', when  we  distinctly  heard  walking,  talking,  and 
opening  and  shutting  of  doors.  I  said  to  mother,  "Can  it 
he  possible  that  the  girls  are  in  the  kitchen  at  this  late 
hour  \  "  She  replied,  i%  No,  I  saw  them  go  up  over  an  hour 
ago,  and  Susie  said  good-night  to  me."  I  then  thought  I 
noticed  the  odor  of  cooking  from  the  kitchen.  The  girls 
had  a  habit  of  sitting  up  late,  and  I  determined  to  go  down 
and  detect  them  in  their  tricks  (on  one  occasion  I  had 
found  them  entertaining  a  large  party,  when  they  had  sup- 
posed I  was  in  bed  and  asleep).  We  started  cautiously, 
listening  as  we  went,  and  occasionally  hearing  movements, 
appearing  to  us  slyly  made,  as  if  careful  on  their  part  not 
to  be  overheard.  AVe  took  no  light  with  us,  as  we  did  not 
expect  to  need  any.  The  lower  hall  seemed  lighted  from 
a  window  opening  into  it  from  the  front  basement,  and  a 
bright  light  shone  from  under  the  kitchen  door  which  en- 
abled U8  to  see  everything  around.  I  went  cautiously  to 
the  door,  opened  it  quickly  and  found  utter  dai  kness  and  si- 
lence. As  I  opened  it  I  distinctly  heard  a  clatter  as  of  grid- 
dles, etc.,  dropping.  Judge  of  our  surprise  when  suddenly 
we  were  instantaneously  seized  and  hustled  about,  and  then 
both  transported  or  lifted  to  the  floor  above  by  an  irresis- 
tibly powerful  "  force.''  I  believe  that  it  was  a  device  cun- 
ningly conceived  by  mischievous  Spirits  at  play,  to  lure  us 
down,  and  then  frighten  and  bewilder  us. 

"SICH   A    GETTm'    11'    >TAIRS." 

One  evening  when  Margaretta  and  I  were  alone  in  my 
private  room  (the  front  room  of  the  second  story),  some 
friends  wanted  a  dark  seance  ;  for  which  purpose  Katie 
went  down  with  them  into  the  basement  room.  The  par- 
lor floor  was  unoccupied,  and  at  a  late  hour  the  servant-  ex- 


448  THE   MISSING   LINK 

tinguished  the  hall  light,  supposing  all  to  have  gone.  But 
the  dark  seance  in  progress  with  Katie  in  the  basement. 
continued  so  long  past  midnight,  with  no  sign  of  its  break- 
ing up,  that  I  at  last  sent  Margaretta  down  to  let  them 
know  the  hour  and  put  an  end  to  it.  Of  course  all  was 
dark  on  the  two  lower  floors,  but  she  could  easily  make 
her  way.  Bat  as  she  was  about  to  knock  at  the  lower 
door,  she  was  suddenly  seized  by  some  person  who  hurled 
or  shot  her  up,  as  it  seemed  to  her,  and  landed  her  on  her 
feet  at  the  head  of  the  stairs  on  the  second  floor,  where 
her  scream  called  me  out  from  my  room,  and  she  related 
what  had  occurred.  It  was  evident  that  there  were  some 
Spirits  there  who  did  not  choose  to  have  the  seance  going 
on  below  interrupted. 

There  is  an  old  negro  melody  which  tells  how 

"  Sicli  a  gettin'  up  stairs 
I  never  did  see, 
Sich  a  gettin'  up  stairs,"  etc. 

Margaretta  had  been  pitched,  as  it  were,  in  an  instant,  up 
the  two  flights  of  stairs.  The  reader  may  refer  to  the 
next  story  for  a  somewhat  similar  way  of  being  carried  up 
stairs  which  once  befell  mother  and  myself. 

THE    DEATH    OF    ISAAC    T.    HOPPER. 

Hon.  John  W.  Edmonds  met  occasionally  with  a  private 
party,  numbering  from  twelve  to  sixteen  persons,  nearly 
all  singers  of  a  choir  belonging  to  a  church  in  this  city. 
This  was  my  first  private  party  formed  after  my  settle- 
ment in  New  York,  in  1852. 

The  rules  of  the  party  were  to  meet  at  precisely  eight 
and  close  at  ten  o'clock.  Judge  Edmonds  came  and  went 
as  he  pleased,  often  to  the  annoyance  of  the  party  through 
the  interruptions  thus  produced.     He  came  in  one  evening 


IN   MODERN  SPIRITUALISM.  449 

about  nine  o'clock  and  took  his  seat  in  silence.  The  party 
were  singing  their  sweet  anthems,  and  all  seemed  drawn 
together  in  harmony.  At  the  close  of  the  singing  our  at- 
tention was  suddenly  called  to  a  peculiar  sound  in  the 
extreme  corner  of  the  room.  Mr.  Bostwick  was  secretary 
of  the  circle.  I  have  his  minutes  of  it,  which  differ  ma- 
terially from  Judge  Edmonds'  account,  written  from  mem- 
ory by  Dr.  Dexter,  and  published  in  his  book. 

I  here  give  it  exactly  as  it  occurred. 

This  singular  sound  signaled  the  alphabet,  which  I  called, 
and  the  following  message  was  given  to  us  all : 

"  My  Deajb  Fkiexds  :  I  am  free  from  all  suffering  and 
anxiety.  I  am  re-united  with  the  beloved  partner  of  my 
youthful  days. 

"  Isaac  T.  Hopper." 

Judge  Edmonds  exclaimed,  "  Gracious  Heavens  !  can  this 
be  true  ?  I  have  been  with  him  from  noon  until  seven 
o'clock  this  evening ;  and  when  I  left  him  he  seemed  likely 
to  live  a  month.''  Then,  taking  a  small  pamphlet  from 
his  pocket,  he  said,  "I  read  this  to  him  ;  he  listened  at- 
tentively and  expressed  his  opinion  upon  it  favorably." 
He  then  said,  "Mrs.  Brown,  can't  you  send  one  of  your 
girls  around  to  see  if  this  is  true?  "  I  said  "  Xo,  Judge  ; 
1  could  not  send  my  girls  out  at  this  hour  of  night."  The 
party  all  cried  out,  "No,  Judge;  go  yourself.  We  will 
await  your  return.''  He  went,  and  was  gone  about  an 
hour. 

When  the  door-bell  rang  we  sat  in  breathless  silence. 
The  Judge  paused  in  the  door-way  a  moment,  then  sol- 
emnly, and  with  trembling  lips,  said,  "When  I  got  there 
he  had  been  dead  an  hour." 


460  THE   MI88ING    LINK 


WILLIAM    M.    THACKERAY. 

Mi'.  Thackeray  during  his  stay  in  Xew  York  visited  my 
public  seances,  but  never  asked  questions  in  a  crowd.  J  lis 
course  of  investigation  was  unlike  those  of  all  others.  The 
first  vi>it  he  made  he  sat  and  listened  to  the  sounds;  and 
when  his  turn  came  to  ask  questions,  he  politely  asked  me 
to  accept  his  arm  and  walk  with  him  through  the  parlors 
(fifteen  minutes  were  allotted  to  each  visitor)  and  he  said, 
"  You  must  be  weary  by  this  time.  Do  your  investigators 
always  tax  you  as  they  have  this  evening  ?  "  I  told  him  I 
considered  this  party  very  little  trouble  in  comparison  to 
most  others.  The  raps  followed  us  as  we  walked,  and 
were  heard  by  all  in  the  room.  He  apparently  paid  little 
attention  to  the  sounds  as  we  walked.  Suddenly  he  stopped 
in  the  middle  of  the  room,  and  said  to  me  :  "I  have  read 
much  of  your  family,  and  the  persecution  you  have  been 
subjected  to  ;  and  the  various  expositions  of  the  wise  ones; 
but  they  have  not  been  able  to  convict  you." 

The  rappings  became  tremendous,  and  the  floor  trembled 
beneath  our  feet.  They  were  made  all  about  the  room  and 
on  the  furniture.  I  invited  him  to  call  during  my  private 
hours,  which  he  subsequently  did,  and  conversed  with  the 
Spirits  freely. 

When  he  bade  me  good-by  for  the  last  time,  he  expressed 
pleasure  at  having  met  us,  and  thanked  me  for  my  kind- 
ness in  permitting  him  to  visit  us  during  our  private  hours. 
He  expressed  himself  delighted  with  his  visit,  and  said  he 
was  thoroughly  convinced  that  no  earthly  power  could 
make  the  sounds  as  he  had  heard  them  :  and  he  laughed 
heartily  at  Dr.  Flint's  theory  of  the  knee-joints.  Though 
compelled  to  restrain  the  public  expression  of  it  in  the 
( ]ornhiU  Magazine^  of  which  he  became  editor,  it  is  certain 
that  Mr.  Thackeray  was  a  full  Spiritualist,  even  though  not 


IN  MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  451 


one  of  those  bolder  Spirits  among  men  who  feel,  and  live  np 
to,  the  duty  of  proclaiming  to  the  world,  cost  what  it  may, 
the  divine  and  regenerating  truth  which  has  been  received 
into  their  own  Bonis.  But  great  difficulties,  it  must  be 
confessed,  stood  in  his  way.  The  bigotries  of  his  country 
and  times  made  it  impossible  for  him,  under  the  necessities 
of  a  profession  wholly  dependent  on  the  favor  of  public 
opinion,  to  go  further  than  he  did,  while  it  is  certain  that 
he  was  too  noble  and  true  a  man  ever  to  cater  to  those 
bigotries  by  a  word  of  depreciation  of  Spiritualism. 

"witch  stories." 


Amy  Emmet,  a  well-known  character  in  Rockland 
County,  X.  Y.,  was  reputed  a  witch.  And  I  have  been 
told  by  a  perfectly  reliable  gentleman  of  many  strange 
things  which  occurred  in  the  case  of  an  own  sister  of  his, 
who  is  still  living.  She  (his  sister)  would  roll  over  the 
floor,  like  a  hoop,  for  a  long  time ;  and,  when  relieved 
from  such  terrible  control,  would  lie  helpless  and  nearly 
exhausted. 

My  parents  and  grand-parents  knew  her  and  believed 
her  to  be  possessed  by  evil  powers. 

ii. 

Mary  Treadway  was  a  little  girl ;  a  playmate  of  my 
mother.  She  suffered  greatly  under  the  power  of  some 
evil  influence.  She  would  scream  and  say,  in  terror,  "See 
her!  See  her! — 2sow  she's  pinching  me."  Then,  appar- 
ently for  saying  so,  she  would  be  stoned  nearly  to  death. 
She  would  be  black  and  blue  all  over  after  being  pinched, 
covered  with  bruises,  and  often  hit  in  the  face  with  stones 


452  THE   MISSING   LINK 

tied  up  in  rags.  Her  mother  made  a  deep  pasteboard  sun- 
bonnet,  hoping  that  the  poor  child  might  be  relieved  by 
wearing  it ;  but  the  stones  would  hit  her  in  the  face  just 
the  same,  even  when  she  would  bend  her  face  down  near 
the  ground  to  avoid  them.  Mother  saw  the  stones  strike 
her,  apparently  coming  from  the  mirror.  After  having 
been  troubled  in  every  possible  way,  she  suddenly  became 
completely  covered  with  a  living  mass  of  vermin. 

Her  parents  were  well-to-do,  respectable,  cleanly  people. 
Her  tormentor  died,  and  she  recovered. 

GEORGE   THOMPSON. 

"  Mrs.  A.  L.  Underiiill  : 

"  Dear  Friknd — Having  learned  that  you  are  about  to 
publish  a  somewhat  detailed  account  of  your  experience 
in  connection  with  the  phenomena  of  Spiritualism,  and 
fearing  that  you  might  not  remember  an  occurrence  which 
took  place  at  your  house  on  Troup  Street,  in  the  city  of 
Rochester,  N.  Y. — I  think  in  1849,  when  George  Thomp- 
son (the  English  abolitionist)  came  to  this  country  to  lect- 
ure against  slavery — I  take  the  liberty  of  referring  to  it. 

"  While  lecturing  in  Rochester,  he  expressed  a  desire  to 
witness  something  of  what  he  had  heard  so  much  about. 

"  Mrs.  Kedzie  and  myself,  with  a  few  other  friends  called 
on  you.  After  being  seated  around  a  table,  the  rapping 
indicated  that  many  Spirits  were  glad  to  manifest  to  him. 

"  Mr.  Thompson  took  a  seat  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
table  from  you,  and  commenced  asking  questions  by  writ- 
ing them.  A  very  warm  friend  of  his,  who  had  travelled 
extensively  with  him  in  India  and  elsewhere,  purported  to 
be  in  communication  with  him.  Many  incidents  of  their 
travels  were  recalled  to  his  memory  by  the  Spirit.  I  dis- 
tinctly remember  one  question  which  Mr.  Thompson  asked 


IN  MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  453 

orally.  It  was  this.  '  "What  was  the  present  which  you 
sent  to  my  wife  from  India  ( '  .  Answer,  '  A  cashmere 
shawl.' 

"  Afterward  we  asked  Mr.  Thompson  if  his  answers 
were  all  satisfactory  ?  He  replied  promptly,  '  They  were 
quite  right,  quite  right.' 

"  The  fact  in  this  case  was,  that  the  questions  put,  and 
answers  given,  were  not  known  to  you  or  any  one  present, 
or  in  the  United  States  of  America;  and  all  the  answers 
given  were  'quite  right.' 

"  Will  sceptics  explain,  satisfactorily  to  themselves  and 
others,  how  this  is  done  ( 

"  John  Kedzie. 

"  New  York,  June,  1884." 

a  child's  letter. 

Letter  from  a  child  eight  years  old.     I  insert  this  letter 

from  a  darling  little  child  partly  for   love   of   her,  but 

chiefly  because  she  soon  after,  as  I  have  been  informed, 

developed,  without  any  instruction,  into  a  splendid  musical 

medium. 

"Newark,  O.,  July  20,  1851. 
"  My  Dear  Fisb  : 

"  I  promised  to  write  you  a  letter,  and  I  have  a  few 
words  to  say  to  you,  it  is  not  very  long ;  and  I  hope  you  are 
well,  and  I  send  my  love  to  you  all.  I  think  that.  I'll  never 
forget  you.  I  wish  that  you'll  never  forget  me.  AVe  are 
all  well  and  the  baby  lias  three  teeth.  Xow  you  must 
come  back,  we  all  want  to  see  you. 

"  I  hope  that  Mi-.  Brown  is  better.  You  must  remember 
your  promise  to  me.  1  have  been  looking  anxiously  for  a 
letter  from  yon.  I  hope  you  will  excuse  me.  for  this  is 
the  first  letter  I've  ever  written  before.  Tell  Maggie  that 
she  must  not  forget  her  promise  to  me. 


454  THE  MISSING  LINK 


"  My  dear  Fish,  I  love  you  very  much.  I  want  to  say 
something  to  you  but  I  don't  know  what.  The  fields  are 
green,  the  woods  are  grand,  and  home  is  dear  to  me,  but  I 
would  give  a  year  for  one  sweet  month  to  talk  with  the 
Spirits.  O  I  would  clap  my  hands  for  joy.  Mr.  Black- 
man  has  acted  the  part  of  a  coward.  He  has  not  the  in- 
dependence of  a  man  to  come  out  and  publish  the  truth 
like  a  gentleman.  I  would  have  sent  you  one  of  his  papers 
if  they  had  pleased  me. 

"Good-bye,  my  dear  Fish. 

"Louise  Mooney." 

Extracts  from  daniel  underbill's  minute  book,  bearing 
date  JUNE  5,  1862. 

"  AVhile  Leah  and  myself,  with  a  few  friends,  were  sit- 
ting at  the  table  conversing,  the  following  communications 
were  spelled  out : 

"'There  must  be  some  desperate  struggles  before  the 
Union  army  can  hold  the  Rebellion  under  control.  Then 
many  treacheries  will  be  perpetrated  through  the  sem- 
blance of  peace;  after  which  many  new  aud  arbitrary  en- 
forcements will  be  carried  into  effect,  so  that  the  difficulties 
cannot  be  determined  for  some  time.  Rebellion  is  among 
you  everywhere,  and  the  only  curb  is  the  law  and  the  right 
to  control.  Even  your  leading  journalists  are  not  reliable, 
and  their  loyalty  is  speculative. 

(Signed)  " '  Red  Jacket.'  " 

"  '  Xo  more  peace  ;  no  more  love  ;  no  more  truth  ;  all  is 
gone.  My  spirit  sorrows,  my  light  grows  dark,  my  hope 
fails,  and  my  form  no  more  appears  on  earth  among  my 
tribe.  My  feather  gone,  my  axe  dull,  my  arrow  broke, 
and  my  hand  no  more  pull  the  string.  My  eyes  no  more 
take  aim.     My  work  to  do,  and  I  no  power. 


IN  MODERN  SPIRITUALISM.  455 

"'Great  Spirit  make  pale-face  look  up  where  help  can 
come,  and  then  we  will  fly  through  air  in  ears  of  lire,  to 
call  the  light  and  heat  down  to  wake  np  the  love,  hope, 
charity,  and  faith  which  have  no  power  now,  to  conquer  in 
the  war  of  hatred,  envy,  and  rebellion. 

"  'I  have  spoken. 
(Signed)  "<"Wab  Eagle,'" 

extract  from  communication  purporting  to  come  from 
d.  underbill's  father. 

"  If  every  grain  of  sand  on  the  sea-shore  were  a  dime, 
and  every  dime  should  be  doubled  at  every  second,  it  would 
not  be  half  the  value  to  you  a  few  years  hence,  that  one 
evening's  sitting  with  your  guardian  Spirit  will  be  to  you 
when  }'ou  are  as  I  am  now. 

(Signed)  "Levi." 

practical  jokes  performed  and  rebuked. 

Though  it  is  my  rule  not  to  introduce  trifling  inci- 
dents which  were  constantly  occurring  to  us  in  our  do- 
mestic privacy,  yet,  finding  them  in  my  private  papers  of 
1849, 1  will  here  insert  the  following  two  because  it  occurs 
to  me  that  it  may  have  had  a  significance  intended  as  a 
lesson  to  me. 

One  evening,  being  for  a  wonder  without  callers,  Maggie 
and  I  thought  we  would  have  a  little  fun  at  mother's  and 
Cathie's  expense.  (Mother  was  very  easily  disturbed  by 
any  unusual  manifestations.)  It  will  be  seen  that,  though 
we  began  it  for  our  fun,  the  Spirits  took  it  soon  out  of  our 
hands  and  carried  it  out  themselves  in  pretty  strong  earnest.4 

•They  probably  meant  it  as  a  reproof  of  the  girls'  attempt  t"  mix  up 
their  childish  nonsense  with  a  subject  too  great  and  grave  for  such  tri- 
fling on  their  part.  — Ed. 


-466  THE   MISSING   LINK 

Maggie  went  into  the  parlor  bed-room,  and  I  laid  down 
on  the  sofa.  She  took  a  cane  and  I  a  shell  from  the  table 
to  rap  with.  I  precautionary  placed  matches  near  me  in 
case  of  need.  She  rapped  once  (with  the  cane)  upon  the 
ceiling,  but  before  I  could  make  any  attempt  at  using  my 
shell  the  house  was  in  an  uproar.  The  piano  was  vio- 
lently sounded,  the  match-box  rattled  against  the  ceiling. 
1  called  to  Maggie  to  know  if  it  was  she  who  was  pounding 
the  piano  so  violently.  Mother  cried  out,  "  God  have 
mercy  on"  us  ! "  She  saw  a  very  tall  man — or  the  form  of 
one  — standing  in  the  open  doorway,  and  recognized  him  as 
her  father.  Mother  was  so  frightened  that  she  started  up, 
and  as  she  did  so  tore  down  the  window-shade,  which  let- 
in  the  light  of  a  bright  moon.  I  was  unceremoniously 
seized  upon  and  lifted  through  a  circular  aperture  in  the 
ceiling  (large  enough  to  admit  four  small  pipes,  leading 
from  the  parlor  stove  into  a  sheet-iron  drum  in  the  room 
above,  in  which  Calvin  slept).  (See  diagram  on  page  209.) 
I  was  there  held  suspended  for  several  minutes  by  two 
iron  hands  (as  they  seemed  to  me),  the  one  felt  icy  cold, 
and  the  other  almost  burning  hot.  Calvin,  in  bed  in  the 
room  above,  lay  quietly  listening  to  the  uproar,  but  made 
no  remark.  I  entreated  him  to  come  down  to  us,  but,  he 
positively  refused,  saying,  "  No,  you  have  raised  the  Devil, 
and  must  take  the  consequences.1' 

This  uproar  continued  all  night,  and  people  gathered 
around  the  house  to  listen  to  it.  We  found,  by  experience, 
that  nothing  we  could  do  in  our  attempt  at  a  little  fun 
played  off  on  mother,  would  equal  the  performances  of  the 
Spirits  at  our  expense. 

The  second  of  these  private  domestic  incidents,  designed 
perhaps  for  rebukes  and  lessons,  was  as  follows : 

To  make  this  story  understood,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
describe  the  situation  of  the  old  homestead.     The  public 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  457 

road  runs  north  and  south  ;  and  both  houses  face  eastward. 
The  old  house  stands  about  two  hundred  yards  from  the 
road,  surrounded  by  trees.  Father's  house  (which  was 
being  built  at  the  time  he  was  living  in  JJydesville)  stands 
near  the  road,  with  ample  yard  room  surrounding  it. 
When  turning  into  the  lane,  there  is  a  slight  descent  until 
you  reach  a  little  bridge,  called  the  "  Tell-tale  Bridge," 
over  a  small  stream,  which  in  wet  seasons  runs  through 
the  vale  ;  after  which  you  gradually  ascend  until  you  reach 
the  level  on  which  the  main  buildings  stand.  It  is  called 
the  Tell-tale  Bridge  because  the  hoofs  and  wheels  always 
announce  the  approach  of  visitors. 

It  was  Sunday  evening.  A  party  of  David's  friends 
drove  over  from  Newark  to  have  a  seance  with  the  Spirits. 
It  was  decided  that  they  should  hold  their  meeting  at 
mother's,  with  the  girls  (Maggie  and  Katie).  I  remained 
at  David's,  with  Uncle  John,  Calvin,  and  the  children — 
the  youngest  being  a  babe  ten  months,  old.  My  brother 
and  his  wife  joined  the  party.  Uncle  John  suggested  that 
some  refreshments  would  be  acceptable  and  help  to  while 
away  the  time.  By  the  time  we  got  through  supper  it  was 
near  twelve  o'clock,  and  the  hired  man  came  home  belated. 
The  servant  girl  was  tired,  and  all  save  myself  retired  for 
the  night.  The  baby  fretted  for  its  mother,  and  I  walked 
the  floor  with  him  until  he  fell  asleep.  Still  there  were  no 
signs  of  the  adjournment  of  the  party.  I  could  hear  the 
sounds  distinctly,  and  concluded  they  had  entirely  forgotten 
to  notice  the  time  (it  was  then  two  o'clock).  So  I  slipped 
on  the  hired  man's  coat  and  hat  and  ran  down,  to  learn  if 
there  were  any  intimations  of  the  party  breaking  up.  I  did 
not  wish  to  be  observed.  The  night  was  lovely,  and  the 
moon  shone  brightly  ;  and  my  only  refuge  of  concealmenl 
was  a  few  shocks  of  sweet  corn  left  standing  between  the 
window  and  the  fence.    They  could  have  seen  me  through 


468  THE    MISSING    LIKE 

the  window  if  they  had  looked  out  from  the  sitting-room 
in  which  they  were  holding  their  Beance.  I  procured 
a  number  of  small  stone-  and  practised  throwing  very  suc- 
cessfully, hitting  the  mark  between  the  windows  a  little 
distance  from  them.  Having  thus  acquired  confidence  in 
my  aim,  I  threw  one  larger  than  the  others,  which  went 
through  the  window  crashing  the  glass  into  fragments.  A 
general  scream  broke  from  all  in  the  room.  Iran  down 
into  the  hollow  near  the  bridge,  and  hid  in  the  tall,  wet 
grass,  knowing  well  enough  that  mother  would  soon  be 
oar  to  explore  the  grounds.  I  heard  her  say,  "I  do  not 
believe  that  a  Spirit  did  it.  I  know  it  was  some  of  those 
good-for-nothing,  mean  coon  hunters  ;  they  have  heard  us, 
and  they  have  done  this  to  annoy  us."  Then  father  said  : 
"  They  have  no  business  to  throw  stones  through  the  win- 
dows. If  that  stone  had  hit  any  one,  it  might  have  proved 
a  serious  thing." 

I  shuddered,  and  was  thankful  it  was  no  worse.  Mr. 
Codding  said,  "No,  Mrs.  Fox,  I  think  you  are  mistaken. 
I  heard  several  electric  explosions  just  before  it  hit  the 
window."  (Those  were  my  smaller  pebbles.)  Father 
said,  "Do  you  believe  a  Spirit  threw  that  stone  through 
the  window  \     If  it  was  a  Spirit  it  was  an  evil  one." 

By  this  time  they  were  all  out  in  the  yard  looking  for 
the  culprit,  and  not  more  than  twenty  feet  from  where  I 
lay  cowering  in  the  long  grass  wet  with  dew.  As  soon  as 
they  all  re-entered  the  house  I  ran  for  dear  life,  doffed  my 
hat  and  coat,  and  jumped  back  into  the  bed  with  the  baby. 
T  had  lain  there  but  an  instant  when  the  most  terrific  rum- 
bling explosion  went  through  the  house,  shaking  it  to  its 
foundations  and  waking  every  sleeper.  I  have  never  wit- 
nessed, before  or  since,  such  a  manifestation.  Uncle  John 
rushed  to  my  room,  saying,  "In  heaven's  name,  what  has 
happened  \  "     The  parties  from  the  other  house  came  in 


IN    MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  459 


and  related  what  had  happened  there  ;  but  I  was  so  shocked 
by  the  manifestation  just  made  that  I  found  no  difficulty  in 

suppressing  raj  laughter.  I  had  been  well  punished  for 
my  folly.  I  had  not  intended  to  carry  the  joke  so  far,  and 
I  prayed  to  be  forgiven.  I  did  not  dare  to  confess.  I  knew 
it  would  not  do  at  that  time,  as  the  public  would  have  re- 
garded us  as  impostors,  and  this  as  a  specimen  of  our 
tricks.  I  suffered  alone  for  my  sin.  I  heard  them  discuss 
the  matter  frequently.  One  day,  full  fifteen  years  after- 
ward, my  brother  was  giving  me  his  opinion,  saying, 
"Leah,  I  do  believe  that  was  a  mischievous  Spirit  that 
threw  the  stone  and  smashed  father's  window.''  I  looked 
at  him  quizzically,  and  said,  "  Yes  Dave,  I  believe  it  was 
too." 

He  caught  me  by  the  hand  and  said,  "  You  did  it !  you 
rogue.     I  know  you  did  !  " 

I  confessed,  and  we  have  had  many  a  hearty  laugh  over 
it  since  ;  but  I  had  not  ventured  to  confess  it  to  the  family 
for  fifteen  years. 

A   PROPHETIC    DREAM. 

On  pages  76-77  above,  in  the  chapter  devoted  to  the 
"Mediumistic  Vein  in  our  Family,"  is  given  an  account  of 
my  aunt,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Higgins,  having  seen  a  prophetic 
vision,  miscalled  "dream,"  which  nearly  nine  years  after- 
ward was  actually  enacted  over  her  grave,  which  now 
speaks  for  itself  in  the  cemetery  cf  Sodus,  Wayne  Co., 
X.  Y.  I  omitted  there  to  mention  another  instance  in 
which  she  "dreamed"  of  a  strange  event,  some  weeks  in 
advance  of  its  actual  occurrence.  I  was  a  child  at  the 
time,  but  perfectly  remember  it,  besides  its  having  often 
been  talked  about  in  the  family. 

"When  the  family  migrated  from  the  city  of  New  York 
to  Sodus,  "Wayne  County,  N.  Y.,  it  had  been  intended  to 


460  THE    MISSING    LINK 

go  by  the  canal.  Grandfather  had  preceded  the  removal 
of  the  family  by  about  a  year.  One  morning  Ann t  Bessie 
(afterward  Mrs.  BLiggins)  announced  that,  "We  shall  not 
make  our  journey  by  water."  "Why  not?"  asked  her 
mother.  "  Because  I  dreamed  last  night  that  we  trav- 
elled by  land,  and  there  was  a  strange  lady  with  us.  In 
my  dream,  too,  we  came  to  Mott"s  tavern  in  the  Beech 
Woods,  and  they  could  not  admit  ns  because  Mrs.  Mott 
lay  dying  in  the  house.  I  know  it  will  come  true."  She 
always  felt  that  certainty  in  regard  to  certain  dreams. 
"  Very  unlikely  indeed,"  was  the  reply,  "for  but  a  year 
ago,  when  you  stopped  there,  Mr.  Mott's  wife  lay  dead  in 
tlfe  house."  "  You  will  see."  "  Then  he  must  have  mar- 
ried again,  and  he  will  lose  his  second  wife." 

Every  particular  came  to  pass  as  she  had  predicted.  Mrs. 
Johnson,  a  stranger  to  the  family  at  that  time,  accompanied 
them.  By  a  change  of  plan  they  made  the  journey  by  land, 
as  by  that  means  (by  grandfather's  orders)  they  took  the 
horses  (three  teams)  to  use  in  the  new  home  in  the  "  West." 

When  they  reached  Mott's  tavern,  late  in  the  evening, 
they  were  told  they  could  not  be  accommodated,  as  the 
house  was  full,  and  Mrs.  Mott  was  dying.  Bessie  said  to 
the  clerk,  "I  was  here  just  one  year  ago  to-day,  and  Mrs. 
Mott  lay  dead  in  the  house."  He  replied,  "Mr.  Mott  was 
married  two  months  ago,  and  it  is  his  second  wife  who  is 
now  dying."  It  was  arranged,  however,  for  them  to  stay 
in  the  adjoining  house,  owned  by  Mr.  Mott  and  occupied 
by  his  son. 

Referring  back  (see  page  75)  to  my  great-grandmother's 
visions  of  phantom  funerals  (sometimes  more  than  a  year 
in  advance  of  their  actual  occurrence),  I  desire  to  add  that 
such  pre-vlsloned  funerals  were  not  of  persons  whose  age 
and  state  of  health  might  have  suggested  such  anticipation, 
but  that  they  were  of  persons  of  all  ages,  and  on  two  occa- 


IN  MODERN   8PIEITUALI8M.  461 

sions  the  deaths  were  by  accident,  namely,  by  drowning 
and  by  a  fall  from  a  house. 

In  the  case  of  Mr.  Urie  (page  82),  the  runaway  that 
caused  his  death  was  not  that  of  a  single  horse,  but  of  a 
high-spirited  span  of  horses.  The  mistake  was  an  acciden- 
tal one  made  by  a  copyist. 

I  may  add,  generally,  in  regard  to  many  of  the  strange 
occurrences  related  in  this  volume,  there  are  witnesses  still 
living  who  can  attest  the  correctness  of  my  statements. 

JAMES    A.    GAKFIELD. 

One  of  the  most  pleasant  of  my  reminiscences  of  our 
Ohio  campaign,  about  three  and  thirty  years  ago,  is  my  in- 
tercourse with  the  great  and  good  man  whose  honored  name 
heads  this  paragraph.  He  was  a  frequent  visitor  to  my 
seances,  to  which  he  used  to  bring  also  members  of  his 
family  and  friends.  He  combined,  with  his  eminent  in- 
telligence, culture  and  love  of  the  truth,  great  geniality  of 
temperament  and  manners.  Jle  was  a  convinced  and  warm 
Spiritualist,  and  his  autograph  name  is  a  frequent  one  in 
my  register. 

Not  a  few  also  of  the  representatives  of  foreign  countries 
visited  us  at  Washington  and  New  York,  and  were  sur- 
prised to  receive  communications  in  their  several  languages. 


To  the  above  array  of  the  Author's  "  Miscellaneous  Inci- 
dents" 1  will  add  one  of  recent  occurrence,  for  the  sake  of 
the  evidence  which  it  involves  of  two  points,  namely, 

First,  of  the  reality  of  Mrs.  Underbill's  still  continued 
mediumship ; 

And  secondly,  of  the  interest  really  taken  by  her  con- 
trolling Spirits  in  this  work  of  hers. 

In  the  course  of  our  united  labors  over  it,  extending 


462  THE   MISSING  LINK 


through  a  period  exceeding  four  months,  there  have  arisen 
a  number  of  occasions  on  which  we  have  differed  over  vari- 
ous points  of  expediency  in  regard  to  the  arrangement  and 
treatment,  the  insertion  or  suppression,  of  her  voluminous 
materials  or  notes,  and  have  discussed  them  freely,  with 
some  tenacity  of  opinion  on  both  sides,  while  with  reason- 
able candor  and  openness  to  conviction,  certainly  on  her 
side.  She  has  generally  maintained  that  her  Spirits  had 
"  impressed  "  and  directed  her  so  and  so  (the  chief  of  them 
seeming  to  be  Dr.  Franklin  and  her  grandfather),  and  a 
Spirit  claiming  to  be  Dr.  Franklin  has  sometimes  inter- 
vened in  these  discussions,  either  voluntarily  or  on  being 
'  appealed  to  by  us.  I  will  describe  one  of  these  occasions, 
to  afford  the  reader  the  opportunity  of  judging  for  himself 
of  the  genuineness  of  this  Spirit  intervention  in  these 
friendly  discussions  between  two  mortals  still  in  the  flesh, 
both  of  them  actuated  by  an  equal  sincerity  of  zeal  for  the 
truth  and  for  the  good  of  humanity. 

AVe  were  sitting  in  her  library,  on  the  opposite  sides  of  a 
library  table.  The  only  other  person  present  was  a  most 
highly  estimable  friend  of  hers,  lending  her  his  friendly 
aid  in  copying,  who  was  seated  some  seven  or  eight  feet 
off.  Both  of  her  hands  were  on  the  table.  My  knee  was 
suddenly  grasped  by  a  strong,  firm  hand,  evidently  to  call 
my  attention.  "  Is  this  you,  dear  Dr.  Franklin  ?  "  I  asked. 
"Yes,1'  was  the  reply  given  by  three  pressures  of  the  hand 
which  held  my  knee  strongly  between  its  thumb  and  fin- 
gers. I  did  not  doubt  the  Spirit  to  be  what  he  claimed  to 
be,  and  I  asked  his  opinion  on  the  point  in  question.  lie 
usually  addressed  me  as  "my  son  "  or  "  my  dear  son."  lie 
•  lid  not  habitually  seem  to  impose  his  will,  but  rather  to 
give  his  opinion,  which  I  must  say  was  generally  on  the 
lady's  side,  and  to  which  I  generally  conformed,  even  when 
saying  that  I  still  thought  differently. 


IN   MODERN"   SPIRITUALISM.  463 

Presently  I  felt  my  knee  again  grasped  in  the  same  way, 
but  this  time  by  what  was  evidently  a  smaller  ami  a  female 
hand.  It  proved  to  be  that  of  my  "sister  Mary," of  whose 
existence  Mrs.  Underbill  knew  nothing.  Her  object  was  to 
tell  me  to  write  to  another  sister,  Adelaide  (still  in  the  flesh, 
and  at  some  three  thousand  miles  of  distance)  because,  as  she 
said,  the  latter  was  ';  distressed  and  suffering"  on  account  of 
my  recent  silence  (for  which  there  had  been  special  reasons 
causing  procrastination).  Of  these  private  family  names 
and  matters,  Mrs.  U.  had  no  means  of  knowing  anything. 
Her  hands,  I  repeat,  were  on  the  table,  and  there  was  no 
human  agency  through  which,  in  either  of  the  two  in- 
stances, the  grasping  of  my  knee  could  have  been  caused. 
The  knowledge  of  my  private  family  matters  goes  far  to 
prove  that  in  the  one  case  it  must  have  been  really  done 
by  my  sister  (a  Spirit),  and  this  identification  of  her  in  the 
one  case  goes  far  to  confirm  that  of  the  other  as  Dr.  Frank- 
lin, both  having  in  the  same  way  declared  who  thev  were. 
—Ed. 


404  THE    MISSING    LINK 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

ACTION  OF  SPIRITS  THROUGH  THE  MEDIUMSHIP  OF  A 
FIVE-MONTH'S-OLD  INFANT. 

Various  Manifestations  around  the  Baby — Writing  in  Greek 
through  his  Hand. 

►•In  the  preceding  Chapter  VI.,  I  have  mentioned  some 
marvels  about  the  infant  mediumship  of  my  little  nephew, 
the  elder  of  Cathie's  two  boys,  Ferdinand  Died  rich  Loew- 
enstein  Jencken.  Since  the  writing  of  that  chapter  and 
its  consignment  to  unchangeable  type,  I  have  come  across 
a  copy  of  a  newspaper  which  had  got  mislaid  and  was  sup- 
posed lost,  the  London  Medium  and  Daybreak,  of  May  8, 
1874.  The  possibility  of  such  things  as  were  mentioned 
on  my  pages  89  to  95  having  been  done  through  the  dear 
little  fingers  of  a  babe  in  arms,  must  have  been  hard  to 
many  readers  to -believe  or  to  realize  ;  though  it  ought  not 
to  be  so  difficult  to  those  who  pause  to  reflect  that  it  was 
not  those  five-months-old  fingers  that  thus  acted,  but  the 
force  and  the  will  of  Spirit  powers  controlling  and  guiding 
then).  For  the  double  purpose  of  supporting  what  I  have 
written  and  of  earning  still  farther  the  marvellousness  of 
this  perfectly  attested  case,  I  now  quote  from  page  290  of  j 
the  Medium  and  Daybreak  the  following  article,  which,  on 
its  face,  bears  the  direct  testimony  of  Mr.  Jencken  himself 
and  of  J.  Wason,  Esq.,  a  respectable  English  solicitor. 
Of  Mr.  Jencken's  unimpeachable  authority  enough  has 
been  said  on  page  90. 


IN   MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  465 

n  the  London  Medium  and  Daybreak,  May  8, 1874, 
p.  290 : 

MEDIUMSHD?   OF   A   BABY. 

"  A  brief  account,  for  which  we  are  indebted  to  Mrs. 
and  Mr.  Jencken,  of  the  progress  of  their  infant  boy,  may 
not  be  uninteresting  to  the  Spiritualistic  public.  We  hence 
render  it,  vpsissima  veroa,  as  received  by  us. 

"The  baby  medium,  whose  writing  we  have  had  en- 
graved, was  born  on  September  19,  1873.  Of  a  sensitive 
and  delicate  organization,  great  difficulty  was  felt  in  pre- 
venting the  life-cord  snapping  during  the  first  few  weeks 
of  his  existence.  Care  and  a  good  nurse,  however,  saved 
the  little  fellow,  who  is  now  a  healthy,  blue-eyed  baby, 
with  a  singularly  well-formed  head  and  large  forehead. 

"Six  weeks  after  his  advent,  the  wet  nurse  complained 
of  constant  noises,  resembling  gentle  knocks  or  taps.  These 
were  at  first  ascribed  to  rats  or  mice ;  finally,  the  truth 
could  not  be  resisted,  and  the  gentle  rappingson  the  doors 
of  the  wardrobe,  on  the  iron  head-rail  of  the  bedstead, 
were  admitted  to  be  by  unseen  beings.  On  the  16th  of 
November  last,  Mr.  Jencken,  desirous  of  testing  the  fact 
of  the  medial  powers  of  his  boy,  obtained  distinct  raps  and 
messages,  holding  his  little  boy  near  to  a  small  round  ped- 
estal table.  Soon  afterward  the  alarmed  nurse  related 
how  luminous  hands  had  been  seen  by  her  making  passes 
over  the  baby ;  the  rappings  increasing  in  intensity ; 
shadowy  forms  had  likewise  been  seen  moving  from  the 
hearth  to  the  bed.  A  whistling  sound  then  attracted  at- 
tention ;  whispered  words  and  other  mysterious  manifesta- 
tions were  observed.  On  one  occasion,  during  the  absence 
of  Mrs.  Jencken,  a  Spirit-form  opened  the  door  of  the 
nursery,  entered,  and  left  the  room  all  but  immediately, 
quietly  gazing  at  the  little  boy  with  luminous  eye-. 

"  Daring  the  month  of  December,  small  articles  were 


400  THE   MI8SING    LINK 


frequently  taken  from  the  nurse  ;  on  one  occasion  a  shadowy 
form  appeared  bending  over  the  bed  on  which  the  nurse 
and  baby  were  lying.  Terribly  frightened,  the  nurse 
grasped  the  child  to  leave  the  room  ;  soft  echoes,  however, 
warned  her  not  to  fear.  On  December  16th,  shortly  after 
Mrs.  Jencken  arrived  at  Brighton,  the  little  fellow  uttered 
his  first  spoken  words — '  Ma-ma,  darling  ma-ma  ' — much 
to  the  alarm  of  the  nurse.  On  February  2d,  the  little 
fellow  was  carried  by  a  Spirit-form  from  the  nursery,  on 
the  same  landing,  to  the  door  of  the  drawing-room,  where 
Mrs.  Jencken,  who  had  been  impressed  to  go  to  the  door, 
received  him  into  her  arms.*  A  half- suppressed  cry  of 
anguish  from  her  informed  Mr.  J.  AVason  and  Mr.  Jencken 
what  had  happened.  On  entering  the  bed-room  the  nurse 
was  found  asleep  on  the  bed.  During  the  whole  of  this 
time  the  rappings  continued.  On  one  occasion  a  halo  of 
light  was  observed  to  surround  the  baby's  head,  finally 
enveloping  his  whole  form.  On  other  occasions  clear 
luminous  rays  of  light  were  noticed  to  stream  from  the  eyes 
of  the  baby.  On  March  0th,  he  wrote  for  the  first  time. 
This  was  done  in  the  presence  of  Mr.  AVason,  whose  ac- 
count is  now  published.  A  few  days  subsequently,  two 
sentences  were  written  by  the  baby  medium,  under  the 
following  circumstances :  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jencken  were 
seated  at  the  dinner-table,  the  nurse  with  the  baby  occupy- 
ing an  armchair  some  eight  or  ten  feet  off.  Suddenly  a 
pencil  was  seen  between  the  fingers  of  his  hand.  '  Ah,  he 
is  going  to  write,'  exclaimed  Mrs.  Jencken,  and  placed  a 
sheet  of  paper  on  the  nurse's  knee ;  his  little  tiny  hand 
then  moved  rapidty,  and  wrote  the  words: 

" '  I  love  this  little  boy,  God  bless 
his  Mamma.  J.  B.  T. 

"  'I  am  happy.' 
*See  Medium  306,  page   167. 


IN   MODERN  SPIRITUALISM.  467 

Shortly  afterward  the  pencil  was  again  placed  in  his  hand 
by  an  invisible  agency,  a  sheet  of  paper  fluttered  through 
the  room  and  settled  on  the  nurse's  knee;  the  little  fellow 
then  wrote  : 

'"I  love  my  Grandmamma,' 

signing  the  paper  with  a  mark  the  late  Dr.  Jencken  used 
t<  >  employ  when  on  earth.  The  paper  and  pencil  were  then 
jerked  into  the  middle  of  the  room.  Since  then,  owing  to 
Mr.  Jencken's  strung  ohjection  to  any  tests  being  applied, 
no  further  writings  have  been  obtained.  The  rappings, 
however,  continue,  so  also  that  strange  luminosity  of  the 
eyes,  so  intense  at  times  as  to  alarm  his  mother  and  nurse. 
Numerous  letters  have  been  received  by  Mr.  Jencken  from 
different  parts  of  England,  Holland,  Russia,  and  other 
places,  asking  him  to  test  this  marvellous  power  of  his  little 
boy,  who.  not  six  months  old,  lias  written  messages;  but 
to  all  these  applications  the  answer  has  been  a  polite  re- 
fusal, the  medical  gentleman  attendant  having  warned  the 
parents  against  any  trial  of  strength  of  this  singularly 
gifted  child. 

"In  conclusion  we  may  repeat  the  prophecy  respecting 
this  boy.  which  prediction  was  spelt  out  at  the  house  of 
Mr.  H.  P.  Townsend,  New  York,  some  five  years  ago,  the 
ige  received  then  being  to  this  effect:  that  Kate  Fox 
would  go  to  Europe,  marry,  give  birth  to  a  child,  whose 
medial  powers  would  be  unexcelled  ;  so  great  indeed  would 
they  be,  that  compared  to  her  child  the  mother  would  be 
a  mere  cipher.  Jocosely,  for  years  afterward,  Kate  Fox 
was  called  the  cipher  in  the  house  of  Mr.  Townsend.  Thus 
far  this  prediction  has  been  verified.  If  this  little  fellow- 
be  allowed  by  Providence  to  attain  to  years  of  maturity, 
he  may  perhaps  verify  all  that  the  Spiritual  beings,  who 
foretold  his  birth  within  ten  hours  of  its  occurrence,  have 
foreshadowed. 


468  THE  MISSING   LINK 

"Deal-  Mr.  Burns: — The  sentence  signed  'Susan,'  plio- 
tographed  [and  now  reproduced  in  our  engraving. — Ed. 
M.],  was  written  through  the  hand  of  the  infant  boy,  aged 
live  months  and  fifteen  days,  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jencken, 
on  March  Gth  last,  at  No.  5  Lansdowne  Terrace  East, 
Brighton,  by  invisible  agency,  in  my  presence  and  that  of 
Mrs.  Jencken  and  her  nurse,  the  pencil  having  been  placed 
in  the  baby's  right  hand  by  invisible  agency,  when  I  caused 
a  memorandum  of  the  fact  to  be  written  at  once  as  a  record, 
and  afterward  had  the  writing  by  the  baby's  hand  and  the 
memorandum  with  the  signatures  of  the  witnesses  photo- 
graphed, and  I  send  you  a  copy  of  the  whole,  which  you 
are  at  liberty  to  publish  in  the  Medium,  together  with  this 
letter,  if  you  think  fit.  The  circumstances  under  which 
the  photographed  document  was  written  are  as  follows: 

"■  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jencken  and  the  child  were  taken  from 
London  to  Brighton  for  the  benefit  of  Mrs.  Jencken's  and 
the  baby's  health,  and  they  had  been,  on  March  Gth  before 
mentioned,  at  Brighton  over  three  months;  and  I  was  at 
this  time  their  guest,  or  rather  sharing  their  lodgings  with 
them.  Mrs.  Jencken's  and  the  baby's  health  improved, 
but  Mr.  Jencken  became  seriously  ill  at  Brighton  ;  violent 
nervous  headaches  with  neuralgia  and  a  general  deranere- 
ment  of  the  stomach  and  digestive  organs.  I  told  him  I 
thought  his  travelling  from  his  chambers  in  the  Temple  to 
the  lodgings  in  Brighton — 105  miles  daily,  which,  by  cal- 
culation, showed  he  had  travelled  over  8,000  miles  while 
at  Brighton  within  four  months — was  the  probable  cause 
of  his  illness;  but  he  took  a  different  view,  and  consulted 
his  friend,  a  German  physician  of  note,  who  agreed  with 
him  that  these  rapid  journeys  daily  were  not  the  cause  of 
his  ill-health.  I  contended  that  a  German  M.D.,  however 
able,  had  no  experience  as  to  the  effect  on  health  of  daily 
long  journeys  by  cab,  omnibus,  and   railway,  but  I  could 


IN    MODERN    SPIRITUALISM.  469 

make  no  change  in  Mr.  Jencken's  view.  On  the  day  in 
question,  viz.,  March  6th  last,  baby's  nurse  was  holding 
baby  on  her  lap  in  the  parlor,  by  the  tire,  about  1.30  p.m. 
I  was  writing  at  a  table  near.  Mrs.  Jencken  was  in  a  room 
adjoining  and  opening  into  the  parlor,  the  door  between 
being  halt"  open.  Suddenly  the  nurse  exclaimed,  'Baby 
has  a  pencil  in  his  hand  ! '  She  did  not  say  that  the  pencil 
had  been  put  into  the  baby's  hand  by  invisible  agency,  and 
I  having  had  experience  of  babies  clutching  my  finger 
pretty  tightly,  took  no  notice,  but  continued  my  writing. 
Nurse  almost  immediately  after  exclaimed,  '  Baby  is  writ- 
ing! '  in  a  still  more  excited  voice,  which  drew  Mrs.  Jenc- 
ken's  attention,  and  she  rushed  into  the  parlor  to  the 
nurse  and  baby,  and  this  roused  me,  when  I  got  up  and 
walked  to  the  nurse,  and  looking  over  Mrs.  Jencken's 
shoulder,  I  saw  the  pencil  in  the  child's  hand  and  the 
paper  under  it  with  the  writing  as  photographed. 

"  I  may  add  that '  Susan '  was  the  name  of  my  departed 
wife,  who  was  remarkably  fond  of  children,  and  her  Spirit 
(as  is  believed)  had  on  several  occasions  previously  mani- 
fested itself  by  writing  and  by  raps  through  Mrs.  Jencken, 
who,  before  her  marriage,  as  most  of  your  readers  are 
aware,  was  the  celebrated  American  medium,  through 
whose  family  at  Rochester,  U.  S.,  the  truths  of  Spiritual- 
ism  (now  so  stupendous)  were  first  manifested. 

"The  value  will  now  be  seen  of  the  advice  given  by 
'  Susan  '  to  Mr.  Jencken,  '  to  go  back  to  London,'  which  Mr. 
Jencken  did,  and  almost  immediately  recovered  his  usual 
health  and  strength,  which  arc  those  of  a  strong,  healthy  man. 

"Hoping  your  readers  may  take  the  same  interest  in 
this  anecdote  that  you  do,  and  that  it  may  conduce  to  in- 
crease the   interest  felt  in  Spiritualism,  believe  me,  sin- 
cerely yours,  cc  t    w  <   r  u 
J  J        '                                    "J.  \\  lbon,  Solicitor. 

"Wason  Buildings,  Liverpool." 


470  'l  HE    MISSING    LINK 


SPIRIT   WETTING. 

"  Photograph  of  a  Sentence  vjritten  in  Greek  characters  by 
Direct  Spirit-  Agency ',  without  the  Intervention  of  a  Ilu- 
nniii  Hand,  at  11.  D.  Jencken,  Esq.'s,  Rooms  in  Brigh- 
ton, February  28,  1874 

"  Paper  (marked  by  a  sceptic  with  his  initials)  and  a 
pencil  were  placed  on  the  table,  all  the  circle  (one  sceptic 
and  iive  (Spiritualists)  joining  hands;  lights  extinguished, 
a  scratching  noise,  as  of  a  pencil  writing  on  paper,  was 
heard.  On  the  candles  being  relighted,  the  sentence,  as 
photographed  below  from  the  original  writing,  was  found 
written  on  the  initialed  paper.  Time  occupied,  about  five 
minutes.  Present — One  sceptic,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jencken, 
Mr.  James  Wason  (of  Liverpool),  and  two  other  parties  of 
respectability,  who  were  for  Spiritualism  '  when  in  her  sil- 
ver slippers  and  walking  abroad  with  applause,  but  not 
when  in  rags  and  tatters  ; '  they  did  not  wish  their  names 
to  appear. 

"Facsimile  of  the  photographed  writing. 

c  ^ 


fo^  &£  ( 


"Translation  :  'Who  believes  in  me  shall  live.'" 

Think  of  this  child,  born  on  September  19,  1S73,  writ- 
ing a  Greek  quotation  from  the  New  Testament,  and  in 
the  Greek  characters,  on  February  28,  1874,  at  the  age  of 
five  months  and  nine  days!  But  it  was  not  the  mere  baby 
fingers  that  wielded  the  pencil,  though  they  were  made  to 
hold  it. 


IN    MODERN    SPIRITUALISM.  471 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

"THE    MISSING    LINK.' 

An  Improvisation. 

BY   MKS.    HELEN    J.     T.    BRIGHAM. 

Dark  night  lay  over  the  land, 

O'er  the  graves  of  all  the  dead, 
And  all  hearts  were  stirred,  and  filled 

With  feelings  deep  and  dread  ; 
Not  without  douht  and  fearing, 

But  as  chilled  by  sudden  gloom,— 
No  ray  of  comfort  peering 

Through  the  door-way  of  the  tomb ! 

Their  souls  were  sad  and  trembling 

On  the  river's  dreary  brink, 
They  prayed  that  in  death's  shadows 

They  might  find  the  Missing  Link  ! 
Yet  love  still  seemed  to  be  lost, 

Or  like  bird  with  broken  wing, 
So  weak,  and  lone,  and  helpless, 

That  it  could  not  soar  aud  sing. 

How  could  this  mouldered  body 

Be  renewed  again,  they  said. 
When  tin'  golden  day  goes  down 

To  the  midnight  of  the  dead  ? 
Sir  the  little  tender  heart 

That  love  had  so  softly  pressed, 
With  its  tin)  dimpled  hands 

Folded  on  its  icy  bri 

While  the  mother's  soul  of  love, 
Bends  over  the  precious  dead. 
Is  it  now  by  death  transplanted 

Where  uo  bitter  tears  are  shed  1 


472  THE   MISSING   LINK 

Where,  in  answer  to  her  prayer, 
In  a  region  bright  and  fair, 
Safe  beyond  all  earthly  care, 
Angels  lead  her  over  there  ? 

Dear  ones  stood  with  broken  heart, 
Torn  from  all  their  loves  apart, 
Fathers,  mothers  with  their  dead, 
While  their  hopeless  words  were  said ! 
O  land  of  crape  and  mourning, 

Land  dark  with  midnight  gloom, 
Is  there  no  hope  beyond  us, 

And  beyond  the  silent  tomb  ? 

A  land  where  there  are  no  dead, 
Where  no  farewell  tears  are  shed, 
Where  there  is  no  funeral  pall 
Evermore — Does  death  end  all  V 
Like  an  infant's  cradle  rocking, 
Then  there  came  a  gentle  knocking, 
And  little  children's  hand 
Opened  up  the  Spiritdand. 

O  Missing  Link  !  O  blessed  hand  ! 

That  opened  wide  the  heav'  nly  land ! 

Those  who  once  filled  earth's  fond  places 

Watch  and  wait  with  angel  faces. 

God  speed  thee,  Book,  that  bears  this  truth — 

Eternal  life,  eternal  youth ! 

Go,  bear  the  gratitude  of  souls 

Far  as  Truth's  endless  being  rolls !  * 

*  It  is  generally  known  that  the  "  inspirational  speaker,"  Mrs.  Nellie 
J.  T.  Brigham,  has  for  several  years  conducted,  at  Republican  Hall, 
West  33d  Street,  the  religious  services  of  the  "First  Association  of 
Spiritualists"  of  New  York,  on  Sunday  mornings  and  evenings,  with  an 
improvised  eloquence  of  extraordinary  sweetness,  strength,  and  holiness. 
The  custom  is  this:  After  a  prayer,  etc.,  she  improvises  responses  to 
questions  or  topics  proposed  by  the  audience,  and  also  poems  on  sub- 
jects suggested  by  them  on  the  spot.  In  the  evening  she  improvises 
a  single  consecutive  discourse,  or  what  may  be  called  a  sermon,  on  some 
subject  prompted  to  her  by  her  Spirit  guides.     The  practice  in  the 


IN   MODERN   SPIEITUALISM.  473 

morning  is  that  as  many  of  the  promiscuous  audience  as  choose  deposit 
on  the  desk  their  questions,  tending  usually  to  the  elucidation  of  topics 
more  or  less  connected  with  Spiritualism,  sh.-  lias  possessed  and  exer- 
cised this  Spiritual  gift  since  very  early  childhood.  A  few  weeks  ago, 
among  the  subjects  for  poems  thus  laid  on  her  table  was  a  copy  of  the 
title-page  of  this  volume.  Her  improvisation  in  regard  to  it  was  the  above 
poem,  introduced  by  the  following  prefatory  remarks. 

"  We  have  with  us  this  morning  a  lady,  a  Medium,  who  has  been 
known  for  years  among  the  Spiritualists  as  one  who  has  sown  the  seed 
in  the  early  forming  of  our  faith,  and  scattered  it  with  open  heart  and 
hand.  This  lady,  well  kuown  to  you  as  Mrs.  Underbill,  Leah  Fox,  has 
written  a  book,  to  be  called  'The  Missing  Link  in  Modern  Spiritualism,' 
which  you  will  soon  have  an  opportunity  of  reading  for  yourselves. 
The  dedication  of  it  is  most  beautiful,  as  follows:  'To  my  husband, 
Daniel  Underbill,  who,  before  I  had  other  claims  than  those  of  the 
Truth  and  the  Right,  when  other  friends  wavered,  nobly  sustained  me, 
this  narrative  is  dedicated,  gratefully  and  lovingly.'  This  is  an  expres- 
sion of  just  appreciation.  It  is  the  soul  of  the  Worker,  and  the  soul  of 
Justice,  and  the  soul  of  a  Wife.  Nothing  is  needed  to  be  added  to  it, 
but  this  is  suggested  as  a  subject  for  a  poem."  She  then  proceeded  to 
deliver  it. 

Two  other  subjects  having  been  also  suggested  at  the  same  time,  she 
responded  to  them  as  follows  : 

"the  origin  of  the  soul. 

"A  drop  from  the  infinite  ocean,  a  ray  from  the  infinite  light, 

One  thought  from  the  God  eternal,  one  impulse  of  his  love  and  might, 

Held  by  the  love  of  the  Father  in  His  circling  arm's  embrace, 

One  grain  of  sand  on  the  wide-spread  land,  is  a  soul  in  this  human  race. 

It  cannot  fall  from  his  being,  it  never  can  die  from  sight, 

For  His  soul  is  ever  in  it,  and  eternity  is  His  light." 


"THE   BENEFICENCE    <>F   BUFFERING. 

"  No  pain  can  be  in  vain,  no  loss  an  endless  01 
From  every  earthly  grief  shall  come  a  sure  relief, 
From  every  leaden  sorrow  the  jewel  of  to-morrow." 

In  the  ranks  of  Mediumship  there  are  no  small  number  of  noble  men 
and  women  possessing  this  splendid  power.  They  are  called  Inspira- 
tional or  Trance  Speakers.     They  speak  as  the  mouth -pieces  of  Spirit 


•17  1  THE    MISSING    LINK 

guides,  UBing  not  the  singular  pronoun,  but  the  collective  "  We."  The 
onlj  two  whom  I  happen  to  know  arc  Mrs  Brigham  and  Mrs.  Emma 
Hardinge  Britten.  One  of  the  most  competent  of  judges  has  said  of 
Mrs.  Britten  :  "No  living  orator  could  improvise,  on  half  a  dozen  dif- 
ferent high  and  deep  subjects,  in  style  to  compare  with  her.  I  have 
heard  most  of  the  great  orators  of  our  times,  pulpit,  forensic,  and  par- 
liamentary, and  she  is  the  most  eloquent  man  of  them  all."  She  and 
Mrs.  Brigham  have  been  well  called  "  the  Eagle  aud  the  Dove." 


IN    MODERN   SPIRITUALISM.  175 


FINALE. 

This  volume  has  lengthened  itself  out  much  beyond  the 
author's  intention,  and  it  is  more  than  time  to  close  it  with 
the  word  which,  in  human  life,  is  rarely  uttered  without 
some  tone  of  pain  in  the  trembling  voice.  It  is  only  as  I 
write  it  that  I  myself  realize  all  there  lias  been  of  nearness 
and  of  feeling,  constituting  a  link  of  personal  relation  and 
sympathy  between  writer  and  reader;  at  least  on  her 
humble  side.  It  seems  as  though,  throughout  the  double 
process,  reciprocal  in  its  nature,  we  have  come,  by  a  sort  of 
Spiritual  communion,  to  know  each  other  as  friends — 
speaking  for  myself,  I  had  almost  said  of  loving  friends. 

But  "  finale"  is  a  less  melancholy  word  to  the  Spiritual- 
ist than  it  is  to  those  who  are  less  penetrated  with  his 
knowledge  that  what  men  mistakenly  shrink  from  as 
"  death  "  is  but  the  beginning  of  higher  and  happier  life, 
developed  in  re-birth,  like  that  which  gives  its  bright  wings 
to  what  was  the  creeping  worm. 

And  now,  in  thus  gratefully  taking  leave  of  the  readers 
who  may  have  accompanied  me,  hand  in  hand,  through 
pages  of  which  every  one  has  proceeded  from  my  very 
heart  and  soul,  I  think  1  may  also  ask  them  to  accompany 
me  one  single  step  further,  in  the  following,  which  was  once, 
letter  by  letter,  dictated  through  me  by  Spirits  at  a  circle 
in  New  York. 

I  give  it  now  as  copied  from  the  By-Laws  of  Circle 
No.  1. 


47G  THE    MISSING    LINK 


PRAYER. 

"  AJmigbty  and  most  merciful  Father,  who  hast  created 
us  in  thy  wisdom,  and  sustained  ns  by  thy  love,  look  down 
with  compassion  upon  thy  children  here  assembled,  and 
assist  us,  we  beseech  thee,  in  our  search  after  Thy  truth. 

"  Roll  from  our  minds  the  clouds  of  error,  ignorance, 
and  superstition,  that  the  light  of  Thy  wisdom  may  shine 
upon  us,  cheering  our  hearts,  enlightening  our  understand- 
ings,#and  rendering  bright  our  pathway  to  Thy  holy  man- 
sions, eternal  in  the  heavens. 

"  Suffer  Thy  holy  Spirits  to  minister  unto  us,  as  our 
guardians  and  guides,  to  lead  us  from  darkness  to  light, 
and  place  us  on  the  plane  of  everlasting  progression. 

"  Drive  far  from  us  the  darkness  of  our  own  errors  and 
the  mischiefs  of  our  evil  imaginings,  and  endue  us  with 
wisdom  to  receive  and  to  know  Thy  truth.  Teach  us  to 
seek  knowledge  with  a  single  eye  to  our  advancement  and 
Thy  glory,  and  defend  us  from  all  false  doctrine.  Enable 
us  to  know  and  to  feel  Thy  love,  and  that,  through  Thy 
ministering  Spirits,  it  is  shielding  us  by  day  and  watching 
over  us  by  night,  so  that  when  we  take  our  departure  from 
this  sphere,  we  may  realize  that  the  love  of  the  Lord  is 
the  feast  of  the  soul." 


IX    MODERN    SPIRITUALISM. 


477 


ara 


'& 


.**OT. 


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